Some members of the Islamic missionary sect Tablighi Jamaat,which organised a religious gathering in Delhi linked to hundreds of coronavirus cases, face charges under the National Security Act (NSA) after allegations of assault on nurses and obscene behavior at a hospital in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Describing them as "enemies of humanity",Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered charges under the tough law that allows detention without charges for up to a year if the accused are seen to threaten public order.

"They will not follow the law, nor will they accept order. They are the enemies of humanity, what they have done with women healthcare providers is a heinous crime. We are invoking the National Security Act against them, we will not spare them," Yogi Adityanath said.

"An incident like Indore where doctors were attacked should not be seen anywhere in the state. For this, we will take whatever action is required by law," he said.

The Tablighi members, quarantined at Ghaziabad's MMGHospital, have also been accused of endangering staff by violating coronavirusprecautions. They passed lewd comments, roamed about without clothes in theisolation ward and kept asking for beedis and cigarettes, according to awritten complaint to the police by the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital.

In Ghaziabad, officials have tracked down 136 who attendedthe religious gathering last month at Markaz Nizamuddin, the Delhi headquartersof Tablighi Jamaat, which is a major coronavirus hotspot linked to nearly 400cases and at least seven deaths. Six of them had symptoms of coronavirus andwere admitted to MMG hospital on March 31. One has tested positive.

"Our nurses and paramedical staff have complained aboutobscene behavior by these patients," Ravindra Singh, the chief medicalofficer of the hospital told NDTV.

My staff complained many times, I spoke to the patients butthey refused to listen. Finally our staff said they cannot work under suchcircumstances, we were compelled to send a written complaint to thepolice," he said.

An FIR or First Information Report charges the Tablighimembers with assault or criminal force on women, obscene acts and"malignant behavior likely to spread infection".

Yesterday, the government in neighbouring Delhi had askedthe police chief to provide forces at hospitals and quarantine facilities wheremembers from the Nizamuddin Markaz have been put up. One member attemptedsuicide at a hospital and two others escaped from a quarantine facility andwere later tracked down, the government said. Medical superintendents ofseveral hospitals had complained about inmates causing a commotion and makingit difficult for staff to handle them, it added.

Several states are tracking down members of the group, whotravelled across the country in the middle of the coronavirus crisis, violatingall social distancing guidelines and escalating worries of COVID-19.

There are over 2,300 coronavirus cases in India, including56 deaths.