Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday directed state officials to keep a close watch on people from the state who attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz last month, an official spokesperson said.Thakur issued the direction during a video conference with deputy commissioners (DC) and superintendents of police (SP) after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference with chief ministers of all states to review the COVID-19 situation.Such people should be kept under strict surveillance after being traced to check spread of COVID-19, he said.Till Thursday, a total of 190 people who returned to Himachal Pradesh after attending the congregation in Delhi have been quarantined, Director General of Police Sitaram Mardi said.At 73, the maximum people were quarantined in Baddi, followed by 35 each in Una and Sirmaur, 23 in Shimla, 10 each in Kangra and Chamba and four in Mandi.Another 17 people from the hill state have been quarantined in Delhi itself.Meanwhile, as per unconfirmed reports, the Union home ministry has sent a list of more than 700 people from Himachal Pradesh who attended the congregation.The list has reportedly been prepared after tracking the mobile phones of those who were present at the Markaz. However, despite repeated queries by the media, no one from the state police confirmed or denied it.The state's DGP has urged the Muslims to hold Friday prayers in their homes instead of mosques.The police chief further said that the 11 Tablighi Jamaat members against whom an FIR was registered at Nerwa Police Station in Shimla district on Wednesday had not attended the congregation.They had come from Misarwala village located in Paonta Sahib Tehsil of Sirmaur district, he added.The 11 were booked under sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code at Nerwa Police Station.They arrived in Nerwa in Shimla district from Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district to go to their homes in different villages amid a curfew, a Nerwa police officer said.Eight of them are residents of Kima Chandrawali village whereas two are residents of Bharanu village. The driver Shabeer is a resident of Paonta Sahib, he said.All of them have been quarantined in Panchayat Bhawan, he added.Stressing that religious leaders should not hold functions or gatherings, Thakur directed the officials to take strict action against violators.The chief minister also asked all DCs and SPs to hold meetings with religious leaders and disseminate their recorded messages to motivate people of their respective communities to avoid religious gatherings and celebrations to check the spread of COVID-19.
