Gujarat police traces more than 50 persons who traveled to Nizamuddin Markaz, one of them died due to coronavirus

The Gujarat police on Tuesday said that it has traced 17 persons in Bhavnagar district who have traveled to Nizamuddin Markaz, the headquarter of the religious sect-Tablighi Jamaat- in new Delhi that has become the hotspot of coronavirus infection. Police said that one of these persons was infected and died last week. Bhavnagar has reported six positive cases of which two have died that includes a 70-year-old man who attended the religious gathering in Nizamuddin.

The Director General of Police Shivanand Jha while confirming that one of the COVID19 patients who died in Bhavnagar had gone to Nizamuddin told reporters in Gandhinagar that he has ordered "Anti-Terrorism Squad and Detection of Crime Branch to investigate and find out number of people who went there."

Sources in the ATS and Crime Branch told DH that "Apart from 17 cases in Bhavnagar, we have identified more than 40 individuals who went to the Nizamuddin Markaz and they all have been quarantined. We have received a list of significant number of people who visited to Nizamuddin area but not necessarily the headquarters of Tablighi sect that is the hotspot of the virus." DCB and ATS have been asked to specifically identify such travelers and informed local police or health officials so that they all can be medically examined and isolated.

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The Bhavnagar police has already launched a search to find out the who all went to the Nizamuddin recently. When contacted Deputy Inspector General of Police, Bhanagar Range, Ashok Kumar Yadav told DH, "We have come to know that one of the infected persons who died last week had visited Nizamuddin and returned on March 11. By Tuesday evening, we were able to trace a total of 17 persons who visited the place in the month of March."

Police said that out of 17 persons, 11 returned to Bhanagar on March 11. Among them was the 70-year-old man who passed away on 26th due to the infection. The police are preparing entire travel details of the other persons. Many others in the list returned at different dates via Hariyana, while one of them has not returned yet.

According to sources, there are many members of this sect who went to Nizamuddin from other districts such as Botad Bharuch Mehsana among others. "We are trying to prepare the list of everyone who attended the event to stop the spread the virus if they are infected which is highly likely. Besides, we also know that there are around 80 to 100 members of this sect who have come from other states to Gujarat and are stuck due to the lockdown."

Gujarat has reported a total of 74 positive cases till Tuesday that includes six deaths. Six patients have been cured and discharged. Principal Secretary, Health, Jayanti Ravi said that there are two persons who are on ventilators while condition of remaining patients is stable. Out of total positive cases, 38 cases are result of local transmission while 32 case have foreign travel history.