HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI: The Telangana government has revealed that six people who participated in a religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area and had tested positive for coronavirus have died. Over 2,000 delegates, including those from Indonesia and Malaysia, had attended the congregation of Tablighe-Jamaat, a Muslim religious organisation, from March 1 to 15.
According to residents, many people continued to stay at the Jamaat's 'Markaj' (Centre) even after the congregation had wound up.
The six persons had also attended the congregation, where they are believed to have contracted coronavirus. Of the six, two died at Gandhi Hospital and one each at the Apollo Hospital and Global Hospital in Hyderabad. Two others died in the Nizamabad and Gadwal districts, respectively.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered the registration of a FIR against a maulana who had led the congregation; the government will also launch a house-to-house mapping exercise in two nearby colonies to check for coronavirus cases. The Delhi Police, CRPF officials and medical teams went to the locality late on Sunday night after reports surfaced that many people were showing symptoms of the disease.
At least 100 people were tested. The results are expected on Tuesday. Alarm bells started ringing after a man in his 60s, who had attended the congregation, succumbed to corona in Srinagar last week.
The congregation was attended by preachers from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Dubai, Uzbekistan and Malaysia. About 600 Indians from different parts of the country also participated. The Indian members of the group left on trains and flights. Hotels in the area that had housed people from the congregation have been sealed.
