Infected Tablighis belong to Kerala

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 10

The workers of Tablighi Jamaat continue to be under the radar of the authorities in Kashmir, as seven of the 16 people who tested positive on Friday belong to the religious group.

The seven who tested positive for Covid in Srinagar belong to Malapurum district of Kerala. They are in Kashmir as part of Tablighi Jamaat’s routine missionary programme held across the globe.

Officials said all seven workers were quarantined in Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore, on the outskirts of Srinagar.

Officials said they had arrived in Kashmir on March 14 and were quarantined in various mosques in Srinagar before being moved to the EDI last Saturday.

They said at least 69 workers of the Tablighi Jamaat are under quarantine at the EDI, including 58 belonging to other states.

In addition to the seven Tablighi workers, officials said six persons tested positive from Baramulla, four from Kupwara, and one from Chattabal locality of Srinagar.

Kashmir witnessed the first Tablighi-linked Covid positive case on March 24, when a 65-year-old preacher of Hyderpora locality of Srinagar tested positive for the virus. He died on March 26 at the Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar.

Official documents accessed by The Tribune reveal that 30 Tablighi workers have been found positive for the virus in Kashmir. Also, 27 persons, who had been in contact with these workers, have tested positive.

Documents state that 863 Tablighi workers are currently under quarantine at different places in Kashmir.

While the contact tracing of all positive cases has been intensified, the documents reveals that 72 Tablighi workers are still missing in Kashmir.

“Of them, 54 are missing in Srinagar, eight in Kupwara, five in Kulgam, three in Pulwama, and two in Anantnag,” reads the document.

More Covid positive cases linked to Tabligh Jamaat are expected in the next few weeks, as authorities have amplified testing for the virus.