HP tightens noose against Tablighi Jamaat members, leader booked

SHIMLA: Had Nizamuddin Congregation's Tablighi Jammat returnees acted responsibly, and followed the Cornovirus quarantine norms,Himachal Pradesh could have been one of country's safest states. The state intelligence and security agencies are facing very hard time to track down more than 300 Tablighi Jamaat returnees, who had either been hiding themselves or wilfully defying the law to escape the police action. Director General of Police S R Mardi, on Monday, gave a fresh ultimatum to invoke strongest legal action against any one found disobeying his warning for voluntary disclosure of the travel history by Tablighi Jamaat returnees.

So far, 12 perons have disclosed their travel history voluntarily on Sunday after the DGP Mardi set out a deadline of 5 pm. Beside this, 52 otherpersons have also given information about being in contact with those having returned from Nizamuddin. "I have clearly said that we will not hesitate to invoke section 307 IPC (attempt to murder) if such a person spreads infection to others and thereaf- ter incase it results to death, we will convert the offence as murder under section 302 IPC. One case of spitting has also come to light. Any such happening or non-cooperation with medical or police personnel will attract a criminal offence," Mardiwarned.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said 329 Tablighi Jamaat persons have been traced in the state and they have been put under quarantine conditions. All will be

mandatorily scanned for Coronavirus. One more positive case, again a Tablighi Jamaati, was detected in Kangra district and admitted at Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, Kangra.

Three other Tablighi Jamaat persons, who had travelled in a HRTC bus from New Delhi to Nalagarh on March 18 have been detected positive. They are admitted at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla. The police have issued an appeal to all the persons, who had travelled in HRTC Bus HP 93,0564 (Delhi-Nalagarh) and HP 12,0446 to Nalagarh from Delhi should get themselves immediately tested and go into home quarantine. The police have registered FIR against one Hukamdin, who is head of Tablighi Jamaat in Himachal Pradesh for giving wrong information to the police about some persons, who had returned from Nizamuddin but he mislead the police. Four perons, who reached Chopal (Shimla) after attending Tablighi Jamaat but never informed the police were arrested by the police on Sunday night, said SP (Shimla) Umapati Jamwal. On Monday, 11 more test reports were received relating to people who attended Tablighi Jamat function pertaining to district Chamba out of which four are positive and seven are negative. They belong to Tissa region. Total positive persons detected in the state so far reached 18 out of which 11 are Tablighis, said additional Chief secretary (health) R D Dhiman.