Thankful to doctors and nurses who served us, say Jamaat members

New Delhi: On Thursday morning, 75-year-old Rizwan Ahmed and his wife Naseema ( 70 ) heard that they would be going back home after the Delhi government decided to send home close to 4,000 Tablighi Jamaat members from different quarantine centres in Delhi.

Rizwan, who is a heart patient was the pradhan of his village Tajpura in Saharanpur. It was on February 7 when they travelled from Saharnpur to Nizamuddin Markaz. After spending three days in the Markaz, both of them along with others left for Cuttack in Odisha on February 10. After spending 40 days there, they boarded a train to Delhi on 21 March and reached Nizamuddin Markaz on 23 March. Their ordeal began just after the lockdown was announced. They were shifted to Narela on March 30.

"We are happy that the government has finally decided to send us back. Since Ramzaan, we needed special attention but we are comfortable with what we got. We have spent most of our time reading Quran and offering Namaz," Rizwan told the Millennium Post.

He also said: "We would always be thankful to the doctors and the nursing staff who attended us. They took good care of us. Bahut khidmat ki inhone," Rizwan said.

Both Rizwan and Naseema are given separate rooms nearby in the multi-storey Narela qurantine centre. "My wife too spends the day wisely just like with other women placed here. Utilising the days of quarantine to the maximum in prayers," Rizwan said.

Both Rizwan and Naseema had tested negative for COVID-19. The couple's son Khursheed Rabbani has also written a letter to the Prime Minister and Delhi CM and Deputy CM for the release of his parents and other healthy Jamaat members.

"We would feel so good if they are sent back home at the earliest. Still some days of Ramzan are left and we are hopeful of celebrating Eid together," he said.