The Manipur government on Tuesday said it has found out 14 people who were linked" to the religious congregation held in Delhi's Nizamuddin earlier this month, though 39 others are still outside the state. The Tablighi Jamaat event was attended by around 2,000 people from various parts of the country and abroad. The congregation has become a key source for the spread of coronavirus and six of its attendees from Telangana died of COVID-19.
The state government had received a list of names and phone numbers from the Centre and the 14 have been traced in collaboration with administrations of districts, a statement issued by the COVID-19 Central Control Room said. Of them, three have been taken for testing and the remaining 11 will be screened, it said.
Earlier in the day, state Director General of Police LM Khaute said anyone from the state who attended the religious congregation, or who stayed in the vicinity of the venue or passed near it should get themselves tested at the nearest government hospital failing which legal actions will be taken up against them.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday appealed to the people of the state who had attended the congregation to come forward for a COVID-19 test.
The appeal is not aimed at spreading panic but is a call for acting responsibly, he said.