Tablighi cleared in 36 hrs, 2,361 evacuated: Sisodia
■ Nizamuddin markaz cleric untraceable since March 28
It took 36 hours to evacuate 2,361 people from Nizamuddin West, which is among the major Covid19 hotspots in the country. These people were assembled there to participate in the Tablighi Jamaat’s markaz. Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the premises were vacated after a 36-hour effort by the concerned agencies.
Even as the authorities have cleared Tablighi’s Nizamuddin centre and evacuated 2,361 people in 36 hours, Nizamuddin markaz cleric Maulana Saad has been untraceable since March 28 after he was served a notice by the Delhi Police.
The deputy CM said that the evacuation process was going on for last three days but for the last 36 hours a massive evacuation operation was launched and the entire Nizamuddin West premise was cleared by the concerned agencies.
“The medical staff, administration, police and DTC staff worked together in this 36-hour operation, putting their lives at risk. Hats off to all of them,” the deputy chief minister said in another tweet.
He appealed to people who came to Nizamuddin West to participate in the Tabligh-e-Jamaat’s markaz in March to contact administration and surrender to the local medical facilities immediately so that they can go through a proper medical check-up. “I request all people who came here for markaz to corporate with the police and local administration. If you will create any trouble for local police and administration and not voluntary disclose about you and later if it emerged that you are infected and hiding your disease, then a strict action will be taken against you,” said the
deputy CM.
Soon after the evacuation process the Nizamuddin markaz and the area around it was sanitised by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police teams are looking for Maulana Saad of Tablighi Jamaat and the organiser of the event as he is absconding since March 28, after he was served with a notice by the police. Police teams are looking for Maulana Saad at several places including Uttar Pradesh and Mewat region of Haryana.
Police have also recovered an audio clip in which Maulana Saad can be heard saying that there was no better place to die than in a mosque. The audio clip is believed to be from March 18. “Leaving mosques would bring no good. Do not leave mosques even if trusted doctors ask you to,” said Saad in the audio clipping.
Even the teams of Crime Branch are also looking for the absconding people. On Tuesday, an FIR was filed against seven people including Maulana Saad, Zeeshan, Mufti Shehzad, M. Saifi, Younus, Mohammed Salman and Mohammed Ashraf.