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Altogether 16 residents of different areas of Assam’s Darrang district who had attended the religious congregation of Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin in Delhi were brought to Mangaldai Civil Hospital late Tuesday evening.

The district nodal officer of anti-COVID 19 prevention, Dr Jadumani Kataki informed Northeast Now over phone that joint team of medical, police and executive magistrate have brought these pilgrims from different block PHC locations of the district including Kharupetia, Sipajhar and Jaljali.

“All the 16 pilgrims have been quarantined at Mangaldai Civil Hospital for medical attention and their test will be conducted soon,” Dr Kataki said.

Also read: COVID-19 epicentre: Assam MP caught in Nizamuddin fiasco

“They have history of returning to the district at different dates just before the lock down,” he added.

“We are verifying from the respective Block PHCs regarding their home quarantined records,” he also said.

“However we have taken special medical attention of these returnees from Delhi as reports of coronavirus positive cases are pouring in from Nizamuddin related event,” Dr Kataki added.

Reports of identification of many other pilgrims related to the Nizamuddin event and their subsequent medical check up have been received.

In one such instance a joint team of medical and administration have also brought a our 17 pilgrims from Kachomari – Shyampur area to Dalgaon police station on Tuesday night and later they were shifted to hospital for necessary medical attention as informed by locals.

Also read: COVID-19 epicentre: Case filed against Maulana Saad, Tablighi Jamaat

However it could not be verified from the authority till filing of the report.

Meanwhile, state chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal during his visit to Mangaldai on Tuesday afternoon has appealed to the people of Darrang district to maintain social distancing and the advisories of the Health department at any cost.

Later in the evening, Sonowal briefed media about his visit at the deputy commissioner’s office.

“I thank the people for following the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call of lockdown and again urge upon the public of Darrang to stick to the practice whole heartedly till April 14 next,” the chief minister said.

Earlier during his brief stay of around one hour he reviewed the present scenario of the district including the functioning of the emergency services in the district with the relevant department heads and also has inspected the ten bedded Isolation facilities at the Geriatrics ward of the Mangaldai Civil Hospital.

Minister of state Bhabesh Kalita, Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary and both the two BJP MLAs of the district were also present with Sonowal.

Mayukh Goswami is Northeast Now Correspondent in Mangaldai. He can be reached at: mayukh.mld@gmail.com