NEW DELHI: As many as 160 foreigners supposed to have “disappeared” from Nizammudin’s Markaz Tablighi Jamaat’s headquarters, the new epicentre of coronavirus infection in the national capital, have been found from Delhi, according to an intelligence report, which also says that five out of the 160 are women.
In addition there are 13 Indian nationals, which takes the total count to 173. All of them had recently visited the Markaz headquarters, the intelligence report has said.
The report is prepared by the Special Intelligence Branch of Delhi Police. A copy of the report has also been shared with the Delhi Health Secretary. It clearly mentions the places where the people who had “disappeared” stayed.
The confidential report informs the Delhi health authorities that these people have visited the Tablighi Jamaat and that they could be the carriers of the dreaded coronavirus infection. It asks the health authorities to ensure that these “suspects” do not become part of any crowd, it said.
The reports about “disapperance” of some suspects from the Jamaat headquarters came on Tuesday following which an FIR was registered against six persons, including Maulana Mohammad Saad Kandhalvi, the chief of the Markaz Tablighi Jamaat. Five aides of Kandhalvi whose names were mentioned in the FIR, have also “disappeared”.
Delhi Police’s Crime Branch is investigating the matter.
The FIR also mentions those whom the Nizamuddin SHO had angrily asked to remove the crowd on March 23-24 in a video which has now gone viral. Despite the SHO’s strict warnings, the crowd comprising hundreds of Markaz followers refused to vacate the place.
The confidential report mentions 14 places where information about the “disappeared” Jamaat followers can be collected. The first name among these places is C-Block Rajiv Nagar, Bhalswa Dairy, where eight Indians (four men and four women) have been found. All of them had visited the Markaz headquarters a few days back.
The second place mentioned in the report is Lal Kuan, Chungi Number-2, Pul Prahladpur, from where nine Indonesians and two Indian nationals have been found. All of them had been to the Nizmauddin Markaz headquarters around the time the corona fear surfaced.
The report says the areas where the Tablighi followers had been “hiding” are public places, where social distancing — the key factor against the spread of coronavirus –is almost impossible. According to the report, most of 120 foreigners lodged at 14 places are Indonesians.”
The report says 160 people from seven countries have been found to be lodged in these public places. These nationals belong to Malaysia, Algeria, Tunisia, Belgium, Italy and Kyrgyzstan. Besides the 160 foreigners, there are 13 Indians, the report added.
The Special Branch report says most of the foreign-origin nationals whose travel history is traced to the Markaz headquarters, lived together at Chandni Mahal. Out of the 21 foreigners, 10 are from Indonesia, seven from Algeria, one each from Tunisia, Belgium and Italy and one from India.
“In a similar manner, in north-east Delhi’s Wazirabad area, 12 Indonesians as well as two Indians have been found from Gully Number 9, under Wazirabad police station,” said the report. All of them had been to the Markaz headquarters recently.
It said 13 nationals from Kyrgyzstan have been found from Malviya Nagar’s Hauz Rani area.
Rohini district Additional Police Commissioner S.D. Mishra told IANS on Wednesday that 15 foreigners, mostly Indonesians, were found hiding in various houses. The Delhi government has shifted them at various places for the purpose of social distancing.
(Sanjeev Kumar Chauhan can be contacted at sanjeev.c@ians.in)