97 Jamaatis booked, 329 quarantined in HP: Police

Shimla, Apr 6 () Himachal Pradesh police have booked 97 Jamaat members on various charges, including negligent acts that likely led to the spread of coronavirus and deliberately concealing information from authorities, an official said on Monday.

A majority of them had attended a congregation last month at the organisation's New Delhi centre which has emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot, SP law and order Khushal Sharma said.

Five FIRs were lodged in Una district against 14 Jamaat members, four in Mandi against seven members, three in Shimla against 15 members, two in Baddi against 45 members, two in Bilaspur against five members, two FIRs against two Jamaat members in Sirmaur district, one in Chamba against 8 persons and one in Kangra against one person, he added.

They have been booked under sections 188, 269, 270 of the Indian Penal Code and 51 of the Disaster Management Act, he added.

Besides the 329 people who returned to the state after attending the gathering in Delhi's Nizamuddin area and those who came in their contact have also been quarantined, he said.

Most of them were traced by the police whereas 64 of them reportedt hemselves to authorities for COVID-19 test after they were warned of a strict action. DJI ABHABH