Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said 441 people from the Markaz Nizamuddin mosque in Delhi, where a religious gathering was conducted earlier this month violating the lockdown orders, have shown symptoms linked to the deadly novel coronavirus.
24 people have shown tested positive for COVID-19 and there was a possibility of many more confirmed cases.
“It was a highly irresponsible act,” he said on the congregation of people at the mosque on March 8-10. He further added that out of 97 positive coronavirus cases in the national capital, 24 are from the same mosque complex.
Over 1500 people staying in ‘Markaz Nizamuddin’, the Delhi headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat group, have been quarantined.
“World over people are dying and at this time, when all religious places are deserted, they committed such a serious violation,” he said.
There are close to 2000 people living in the nearby area where the gathering was organized on March 8-10. Many of those who attended the gathering visited different states.
“How many people may have been harmed, the very thought scares me,” Delhi CM said.
“I appeal to all religious leaders, whatever be one’s religion, one’s life is most precious,” he said.
The Delhi government on Monday directed the police to register an FIR against Maulana Saad Kandalwi of Nizamuddin Markaz after several cases of suspected coronavirus were found in the Nizamuddin area.
Earlier in the day, Delhi government hit back saying that there could be no defence for hosting such a large gathering as a ban was already in place since March 13.
“The lockdown was imposed on March 24 and it was the duty of every owner and administrator of every hotel, guesthouse, hostel and similar establishment to maintain social distancing. It looks like social distancing and quarantine protocols were not practised here,” a statement by the Delhi government said.