According to the government, over 2,000 foreigners from 70 countries arrived in India since January 1 to participate in Jamaat activities. (Photo: PTI/Representational image)

A critical Covid-19 patient in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who was part of a religious congregation at the Markaz in Nizamuddin, is a key to the link between the Tablighi Jamaat members' visit to Shaheen Bagh, adding to fears that thousands sitting at the anti-CAA protest could have come in contact with those infected.

Sources have told India Today TV that there is credible information that at least one of the Tablighi Jamaat members, presently being treated for Covid-19, had visited Shaheen Bagh.

"People accompanying the patient claim that he had visited protest site at Shaheen Bagh. But this is yet to be corroborated with him. Since he is undergoing treatment and is in quarantine, it's not possible to record his statement," said an official privy to the developments.

Technical Surveillance, Mobile Data, Travel History Part of Contact Tracing

A massive exercise for contact tracing of the Tablighi Jamaat members who were at Nizamuddin Markaz is being undertaken, sources have told India Today. As part of this exercise, any links or visits to Shaheen Bagh or other places of mass gathering are being verified.

The high possibility that of over 800 foreigners, many could still be missing has prompted a massive manhunt across the country.

A dossier on each individual present in the Markaz is being prepared and travel history of last three months will be traced, sources added.

Through technical surveillance, mobile data, intelligence, every individual is being scanned, said an official part of the exercise.

Foreign Tablighi Jamat members travelled extensively to states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh among other parts of the country.

Not only is it important to identify them but their contact history also needs to traced without any delay.

Visits to Mosques by Tablighi Jamaat Members

Mosques visited by members of the Tablighi Jamaat are also being identified as part of tracing contact history. Many foreigners are said to be staying in these mosques across the country.

In Delhi alone, the police have identified 16 such mosques.

The local police stations have now been asked to compile a list of members who visited big mosques in their jurisdiction, sources said.

If any contact history with a Covid-19 positive case is established, people in the area will be immediately screened and sent for quarantine.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, in a video conferencing with states chief secretaries and police chiefs on Wednesday, had alerted about the need for contact tracing of Tablighi Jamaat members.

The states were sensitised about the intensive contact tracing of Tablighi Jamaat participants as this has increased the risk of containment efforts of Covid-19. The states have been asked to complete the contact tracing process on war-footing, a statement from the cabinet secretariat read.

It is estimated that from January 1 onwards this year, approximately 2,100 foreigners visited India for Tabligh activities. While approximately 824 of them, as on March 21, were in different parts of the country, approximately 216 were staying at Nizamuddin Markaz.

Others might have left the country before the lockdown, the Union home ministry earlier said.

Sources in the Home Ministry also added that details of 824 foreigners were shared on March 21 with the state police for identifying them, getting them medically screened and quarantining them.

On March 28, the police were advised to collect the names of Indian Tabligh Jamaat workers from local coordinators in the state, locate them on the ground, get them medically screened and quarantine them. They are being medically examined followed by quarantine. The MHA stated that a detailed advisory was also sent to states on the subject earlier.

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