Alarmed by reports that more than 1,000 people from the State attended a religious congregation in New Delhi recently, Telangana police have launched a massive exercise to track them down.
The exercise follows credible information that many of the attendees could be potential carriers of coronavirus. The police have come to a conclusion after a couple of people from the State who attended the gathering earlier this month were tested positive for COVID-19.
Speaking to The Hindu a senior police officer said that forces across the State will identify and track them. “It is a very difficult task. But if we don’t identify and put them in home quarantine, there is every possibility of the virus spreading to more people in the State,” he said, adding that Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy on Monday evening held a teleconference with district Superintendents of Police, Commissioners of Police, and other senior officers on the issue.
He said that they will ask the community heads to voluntarily come forward and submit the list of people who were in the gathering. “We also request the attendees to isolate themselves and immediately contact police or health officials in case they develop any COVID-19 symptoms,” the officer said seeking anonymity.
It is learnt that people from erstwhile Nizamabad and Mahabubnagar, and Hyderabad districts have attended the congregation in large numbers. “We came to know that at least 200 people from Hyderabad alone were present in the massive religious gathering that took place at Nizamuddin in Delhi,” the senior officer said.
