U'khand DGP warns Markaz attendees of 'attempt to murder' charge unless they step forward

Sending out a warning to all the people who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi's Nizamuddin last month, Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) on Sunday told them to come out and declare themselves within 24 hours or face prosecution for murder.

'FIR will be registered against them...'

"People who had attended Tablighi Jamaat event should come forward and disclose the information within 24 hours, otherwise, FIR will be registered against them under sections of murder and attempt to murder," DGP Anil Raturi said.

Cases in Uttarakhand have spiked from 7 to 26 out of which 19 were identified as Tablighi Jamaat followers who attended the religious gathering in Delhi.

HP DGP threaten 'attempt to murder charge'

In a similar statement, Himachal Pradesh's Director General of Police (DGP) SR Mardi, on Sunday, warned all Tablighi Jamaat attendees that 'murder and attempt to murder charge' will be slapped on them if they fail to voluntarily inform the police. 

"If Nizamuddin attendees have returned from Markaz, then inform the police by 5 PM today. Else strict action will be taken. If it is later found out, then murder and attempt to murder will be registered against them," the DGP told the reporters.

Three of the seven persons who tested positive for coronavirus in the State on Saturday were Tablighi Jamaat members, according to Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur.

Coronavirus pandemic in India

The Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi has emerged as a hotspot for COVID-19 after several positive cases from across India were linked to the gathering including deaths in Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana.

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The rate of doubling of COVID-19 cases in India is 4.1 days presently but if the cases linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation would not have happened, it would have been 7.4 days, the Health Ministry said on Sunday. According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country has gone up to 3,577 as on Sunday. So far, 83 people have died of the coronavirus.

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(With ANI inputs)