Jamaat members accused of hitting youth; Goa CM orders probe

 The police have been directed to probe an alleged assault on a Muslim youth, allegedly by members of the Tablighi Jamaat, who had informed the state government's COVID-19 helpline about the presence of Jamaat members in South Goa's Navelim village, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told reporters on Saturday.

"I know a Muslim lad himself is calling for a ban on the Tablighi Jamaat. I saw the video this evening and I have asked the police department to enquire into it," Sawant told a press conference in Panaji.

In the video, which went viral on the social media on Saturday, a young man who identifies himself as Fazal Shaikh, a resident of Navelim village claims, that he had tipped off the government COVID-19 helpline about the suspected presence of members of the Jamaat, who had returned to the village allegedly after attending the controversial Markaz event in Delhi's Nizamuddin area.

The youngster also alleges that his name and identity, which was given to helpline attendee at the time of providing the tip-off, was leaked to members of the Jamaat, who later beat him up in public.

Sawant said that the activities of the Jamaat in Goa would be probed.

"What is their activity? What are they doing? How many branches do they have in Goa -- all this will be checked and a decision will be taken after we receive a report," Sawant said.

Incidentally, the Goa Police has quarantined 46 members of the Jamaat in Goa. Earlier on Saturday, eight of the quarantined Jamaat members tested negative for COVID-19, while the report of one test sample is awaited. IANS