30 people including Tablighi Jamaat attendees, including 16 foreign nationals, who had attended Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz event in March, have been arrested from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. 7 of these from Indonesia while 9 are from Thailand. As per reports, a case was registered against them two weeks back. As per reports, one of the professors teaching at the Allahabad University had attended the event at Nizamuddin Markaz and upon his return had continued to take classes and was also an invigilator during the exams, putting lives of hundreds of students at risk.
The Allahabad University Professor along with his wife was put under a 14-day quarantine and now that the period has lapsed, he has been formally arrested.
Tablighi Jamaat members hiding in Prayagraj mosques
The Tablighi Jamaat members were reportedly living in two mosques in Prayagraj where they had hidden their travel history. On 31st March, 7 Indonesian nationals along with two others were caught living illegally in a mosque at Katju road in Shahganj. Similarly, 11 Jamaatis including 9 Thailand nationals were found living in a mosque at Kareli in Hera mosque. They had all attended the Nizamuddin Markaz event. A case was registered against them all and they were put on quarantine. Later, Police got a tip that one of the professors at Allahabad University had recently returned from Nizamuddin event and was continuing with his life without informing the authorities. Later he, along with his family, was also put on quarantine.
All 30 are expected to be produced before the court later this afternoon following which they may be jailed. Professor Mohammad Shahid of Allahabad University who was teaching in the science department has been charged with housing the Jamaatis.
Nizamuddin Markaz
The Islamic evangelical event, where Muslims around the world gather to learn to live life as prescribed by Prophet Mohammad, was held in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz in March this year. The event, which was attended by several foreign nationals, ended up being a hot spot for coronavirus cases in India, contributing to as many as 30% COVID-19 positive cases in India. Tablighi Jamaat members have also been accused of misbehaving with healthcare workers, including molesting nurses and pelting stones at doctors and cops.
