Two Tablighi Jamaat members booked for murder bid in Haridwar

Two members of the Tablighi Jamaat were booked for attempt to murder in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on Tuesday after they allegedly avoided getting themselves tested for coronavirus.

DGP (Law and Order) Ashok Kumar said the two Jamaat members from Haridwar’s Roorkee had recently returned from Rajasthan’s Alwar. They deliberately hid themselves from the administration to avoid the tests, he added.

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"Their friend had tested positive for COVID-19. Still, they deliberately hid themselves from the administration to avoid being tested despite repeated appeals and warnings, thus endangering their own lives and those around them,” the officer said.

The DGP said they traced them with the help of electronic surveillance and booked them under Section 307 of the IPC. Kumar said so far 180 people associated with Jamaat have come forward for medical examination in Uttarakhand. Earlier, the authorities had asked the Jamaat members to get themselves tested by April 6 or face stern action. Kumar said so far police have booked 44 people for spreading rumour about COVID-19 on social media.

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A nationwide surge in Coronavirus cases happened after Tablighi Jamaat organised a gathering at Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz, hosted some thousand people, including people from abroad and then dispersed in various parts of the country. While some were traced and have been found, states have issued a warning to others who might be hiding to come forward and help the authorities to stop the spread of the deadly virus. 

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