Police deployed at quarantine centres housing suspected coronavirus-infected Tablighi Jamaat members

Authorities in Ghaziabad have deployed police at all quarantine and isolation centres housing the suspected coronavirus-infected Tablighi Jamaat members. The decision was taken on Friday, a day after a case for obscene behaviour, non-cooperation and other charges was filed against some inmates of an isolation ward for suspected coronavirus patients at a hospital.

To this end, the police staff in-charge of each centre will also be an inspector-level officer. One sub-inspector will be posted in two shifts of 12 hours each. Besides, two constables and four women police personnel will be deployed (as per the need) during the day, as well as in the night.

A complaint was made by the District Health Department officials in this regard.

As many as 897 Jamaat members have been quarantined at different facilities across Uttar Pradesh.

In addition, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday invoked the National Security Act (NSA)A against six persons from the Tablighi Jamaat, who were in quarantine at MMG District Hospital in Ghaziabad, for misbehaving with the hospital staff and termed them "enemies of humanity".

"They (accused) will not obey the law. Neither they will accept the system as they are the enemies of humanity. What they have done to women health workers is a heinous crime, they are being slapped with the NSA. We will not spare them," said Aditynath in a statement.

In the complaint to the Chief Medical Superintendent, staff members of the Ghaziabad-based MMG Government Hospital had written that many Jamaat members admitted to the isolation ward of the hospital were misbehaving with the employees and the nursing staff.

The complaint stated that the Jamaat members demanded tobacco and cigarettes; did not listen to any instruction given by the doctors and nursing staff; and they kept spitting in the ward. It added the Jamaat members, many of whom are COVID-19 suspects, were seen roaming around in semi-nude condition in front of female nursing staff and singing obscene songs.

On Thursday, an FIR was registered against six persons from Tablighi Jamat who are in quarantine at MMG District Hospital for "walking around the ward without their trousers on and making lewd gestures towards the nurses". The patients have now been shifted to Raj Kumar Goel Institute of Technology and kept under quarantine.

Officials also said the NSA would be slapped on people who attack police enforcing the 21-day lockdown imposed last week to prevent the spread of coronavirus pandemic. They added the government would not deploy women health workers and policewomen at hospitals where patients linked to Jamaat are admitted to across Uttar Pradesh.

(with inputs from agencies)