Nizamuddin Markaz head agreed to vacate after Doval's visit : Sources

A total of 2,361 people have been evacuated after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval convinced Maulana Saad, head of Nizamuddin Markaz to get the Tablighi Jamaat people staying inside the Banglewali Masjid to be tested for COVID-19 and be quarantined.

New Delhi: A total of 2,361 people have been evacuated after 36 hours of extensive evacuation exercise at Nizamuddin Markaz, the Delhi headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat. But, it was National Security Advisor Ajit Doval who convinced Maulana Saad, head of Nizamuddin Markaz to vacate the Markaz building.

According to home ministry officials, the NSA reached around 2.00 am on March 28-29 and meet Maulana Saad and convinced him to get the Tablighi Jamaat people staying inside the Banglewali Masjid to be tested for COVID-19 and be quarantined.

The evacuations started on Monday amid a nationwide search for suspected coronavirus cases after more than 200 people who had attended a large gathering at the Nizamuddin Markaz building tested positive for the virus. The Home Ministry has warned the states about members of the Tablighi Jamaat, spread across the country is a potential carrier of COVID-19.

In a letter sent to state chief secretaries and police chiefs, the Home Ministry said the foreigner who is a part of any tablet team may be thoroughly screen in the context of COVID-19 and quarantined or hospitalized.

Tablighi Jamaat had organised a three-day congregation from March 8-10 at the Nizamuddin Markaz, which has now emerged as one of the biggest hotspot of the novel coronavirus in the country.

According to the Home Ministry, around 2,100 foreigners have come to India since January 1 and have been associated with Tablighi Jamaat activities in different parts of the country and many of them have been tested coronavirus positive.

Notably, Delhi government orders, an FIR has been registered against Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, head of Tablighi Jamaat, and other members of the organisation.

Today, Delhi Police sources have revealed that Maulana Saad has gone absconding after the meeting with NSA Ajit Doval. After this police raids are now conducted at his Shamli (near Meerut) house. Maulana has also two other houses, one in Delhi's Nizamuddin area and another in Zakir Nagar.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba in his meeting on Wednesday has directed officials for comprehensive contact tracing that has to be ensured in a fail-proof manner and low resistance shall be tolerated. Along with this, police officials have also been asked to register cases against foreigners who are found without a proper visa.