GUWAHATI, April 9 - Though some people who went to Nizamuddin Markaz came out of hiding after the police warning to register cases against them, a good number of such people from outside are still hiding in different parts of the State and efforts are on to trace them. Intelligence agencies from other states have also shared some information about such people with the Assam Police.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that according to information gathered so far, as many as 816 persons from Assam went to Nizamuddin Markaz during the period from December last to March this year and 256 returned to the State and the rest are either in Delhi or other states of the country. Among those who returned, 197 are in quarantine and as some of them returned much earlier, there is no reason to keep them under quarantine.
Sources said that majority of the Jamaatis, who returned to the State did not report to the authorities, forcing the police to issue a warning to register cases against them. After the police warning, around a hundred came out to report to the authorities.
Sources revealed that the Tablighi Jamaats frequently tour all over the country and abroad on religious tours and nine such persons from Uttar Pradesh were recently arrested in Darrang district, while, three including one coronavirus positive person, were found in Nalbari. However, many more are reported to be hiding in the State and efforts are on to trace them out.
Sources said that the Police is also getting reports from other parts of the State about the presence of such persons and the Central agencies are also sharing such information regularly with Assam Police. Though the exact number of such persons staying in Assam is yet to be ascertained, it is believed that the number will be more than 50.
According to reports available, most of the Tablighi Jamaat people in Assam are from Uttar Pradesh. However some of them are also from other states like Uttarakhand, Odisa, Haryana. Constant efforts are on to trace them out. Sources said that similarly, people from Assam, who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz, are either in Delhi or in other parts of India as a part of their religious tours.
Sources said that police tried to find out whether any foreigner, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation are in Assam, or have visited the State. Police forces carried out an investigation in this regard. But so far, no such case has been reported.
However, around 200 foreign tourists and others who came for other works are stranded in Assam because of the lockdown and they are staying in different hotels and guest houses.
