20 sevakaris of Nanded gurdwara test positive, area sealed off

Over 300 pilgrims from Punjab, who were stranded in Nanded due to the nationwide lockdown and later sent home in special buses, had tested positive after they reached their home state.

The pilgrims who had tested positive had stayed in the historic gurdwara. After so many pilgrims tested positive, the sevakaris of the gurdwara, those who serve in the shrine, were tested and 20 of them were found to be positive.

District authorities have claimed that the pilgrims had been screened four times during their stay and they had not shown any signs of infection. They also claimed the pilgrims had been screened before they boarded the buses.

Nanded authorities believe that the pilgrims picked up the infection during their travel back to Punjab, which took them through cities such as Indore and Bhilwara, which have reported a large number of COVID-19 cases.

BJP MP from Nanded Pratap Patil Chikhalihar said the rise in the number of cases was a cause of worry for district authorities. “I am coordinating with authorities about the situation and have kept a very close watch on it,” he said.