MP govt backtracks claims on mapping of markaz attendees

Hours after the Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday claimed to have traced all the 107 people from the state, who had last month attended a religious congregation at Nizamuddin area in Delhi, the officials denied its claims of having mapped the attendees after they inadvertently created new clusters of novel coronavirus or COVID-19 infections across India.

Bhopal, April 1 Hours after the Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday claimed to have traced all the 107 people from the state, who had last month attended a religious congregation at Nizamuddin area in Delhi, the officials denied its claims of having mapped the attendees after they inadvertently created new clusters of novel coronavirus or COVID-19 infections across India.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had asked the senior government officials to urgently track participants from the state in the congregation who had on return dispersed to different locations in the state and apparently causing a potentially explosive situation on corona spread. More than 20 of them were suspected to have carried the virus back to the state.

Chouhan wanted all of them quarantined post haste. The officials told in a meeting that a list of 107 citizens of the state involved in Tabligi Jamaat was received. However, only 67 have been quarantined as the "names and addresses of the remaining 40 could not be found."

Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, Director General of Police Vivek Johri and senior officials of the Home Department were present in the meeting.

There was frantic activity all through Tuesday night and Wednesday over the Tabligh participants' whereabouts. Many had mingled with other Asian participants in the congregation and prolonged stay at Tablighi Marqaz. Delhi government had set the alarm ringing on Tuesday saying 24 people, who took part in the congregation, have tested positive for the virus.

" We have identified all the 107 who attended the Tabligh-e-Jamaat's Markaz in Delhi. They have been put under quarantine. They are being examined thoroughly", Bhopal Collector Tarun Kumar Pithode said.

"We are keeping a close watch on them. There is no reason to worry or panic", said Pithode.

The government has not divulged the number of persons quarantined for confidentiality to prevent virus scare. They are scattered at different places including Delhi, Bhopal, Sehore, Vidisha and Raisen and efforts are on track them soon, said the official.

Chouhan asked district collectors and superintendents of police to track down these people and keep a tab on all pilgrims visiting religious sites.

People from across the country had flocked at the meet. Alarm bells started ringing when six persons from Telangana and one from Jammu and Kashmir, who attended the event, died due to the 2019-nCov.

( With inputs from IANS )