Himachal man commits suicide for social boycott over Tablighi Jamaat links

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Shimla: A 38-year-old man belonging to the Gujjar community in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday committed suicide owing to social boycott by locals for his links with those who returned from the congregation in Delhi`s Nizamuddin Markaz in March.

Director General of Police S.R. Mardi told the media that one person hanged himself at his home in Una district. "When he returned to his village from quarantine and his coronavirus test was negative, he faced social boycott and for his reason, he committed suicide, Mardi said in a video message. "I want to tell everyone, social distancing does not mean social discrimination. Such type of behaviour will not be tolerated at any cost," he warned.

The victim has been identified as Dilshad Muhamud who ran a shop in Una town.

Mardi said 85 members of the Tablighi Jamaat have been booked in the state for deliberately hiding the information.

"A total of 277 people belonging to the Tablighi Jamaat have been quarantined. I have asked all those who returned from the Nizamuddin Markaz and even came from foreign travel to reveal their identity, otherwise they will be booked for attempt to murder under Section 307 of the IPC, besides the Disaster Management Act," he said.

The Jamaat district heads would be booked for murder under Section 302 of the Indian penal Code (IPC) if any person is found infected with coronavirus due to their negligence, he said.

The police chief said six coronavirus patients have been undergoing treatment in the state, while four belonging to a business family are hospitalized in Vedanta in Delhi.