The core committee of the state Tablighi Jamaat on Tuesday promised to help trace within 24 hours 126 people, who the police claim attended the Nizamuddin congregation last month but have allegedly not come forward to get themselves tested for the coronavirus after their return.

Junaid Khalid, a city-based core committee member of the Jamaat, revealed this after meeting a senior officer at the police headquarters in Ulubari in the morning. The rush to trace the Nizamuddin returnees gathered momentum as 26 of the 27 positive cases of Covid-19 in Assam are linked to the event, which has emerged as one of the virus hotspots in the country.

“We have already submitted the names of members who attended the congregation but have no idea about the 126 people who are missing or hiding, according to the police. However, I have sought the list of these people so that we can trace them on our own within 24 hours if they are indeed our members and get them examined or put them in quarantine,” Khalid told The Telegraph.

Khalid’s visit came a day after the police issued a strict warning to those who came to Assam after attending the Nizamuddin event or have a history of recent travel to a Covid-19 affected state or country “to present themselves at the nearest hospital or public health centre by 6am on April 7, 2020, or call helpline 104 to inform the authorities of their presence and condition”.

Failing to do so will attract “strict legal action” against them, those who shelter them or those having knowledge of such travel history but have hidden it, under relevant provisions of IPC and the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the police said.

According to Khalid, over 2,000 people had attended the congregation and they are either in hospital or home quarantine. He said the 126 people may have visited the Nizamuddin area for namaz or sightseeing. “We want to extend all possible help in public interest so that nobody is inconvenienced. Senior police officer G.P. Singh will be looking into the Nizamuddin matter,” he said.

H.R.A. Choudhury, chairman of the Minorities Consultative Committee, Assam, which has around 10 leading organisations under its fold, including the Assam Jamiat factions and All Assam Minorities’ Students’ Union (AAMSU), issued an appeal to those who are yet to voluntarily come forward and get themselves tested.

“Attending the Jamaat is not a crime but not disclosing your identity and not getting tested after returning is a crime given the threat posed by the coronavirus,” he said.

Additional reporting by our special correspondent