E-Paper
Contradictory Covid reports deprive Tarn Taran ASI’s kin of performing his last rites properly
Sukhdial Singh was declared negative for the virus during his treatment at GMC, Amritsar, hours before his death on Friday
Contradictory coronavirus reports of a 55-year-old assistant sub-inspector (ASI) posted in the police’s special branch in Tarn Taran not only came as a shocker to his family but also deprived them of performing his funeral rites with traditional rituals.
Sukhdial Singh was declared negative for the virus during his treatment at Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, hours before his death on Friday. But he was declared positive for the disease after his post-mortem the next day. As if this was not enough, he was declared negative again after his cremation which was held while following the Covid-19 protocol.
Only 3-4 family members, including the deceased’s son and daughter, were allowed to attend the ritual and that too with special operating procedure.
The reports were tested at the GMC’s viral research diagnostic laboratory (VRDL).
“This has left the whole family shattered. The health authorities were also responsible for not providing proper care during his treatment,” said Sukhwinder Singh, 60, a retired assistant engineer of the irrigation department and father-in-law of the Sukhdial’s son.
He said, “I along with my son-in-law took Sukhdial to the Tarn Taran civil hospital on Thursday after he complained of some problem in his chest. He was referred to GMC after his samples were taken for Covid-19. His sample was collected there again and the report came negative.”
“He was put on ventilator when his condition deteriorated. At around 9:30pm, we took him to a private hospital but he was declared brought dead. When we were preparing to bring his body back to Tarn Taran we got a call informing us that he tested positive for Covid-19. The health staff took the body directly to his native village Mugalwala in the Patti sub-division. Even our relatives were not allowed to see him for the last time,” he added.
Atinderpal Singh (29), the deceased’s son, said, “How the same laboratory could give three different results in two days? We want a thorough probe into the matter.”
His mother Palwinder Kaur said, “The health officials asked us to go for 14-day self-quarantine. Why should we quarantine ourselves if my husband’s report was negative?”
Tarn Taran civil surgeon Dr Anoop Kumar said, “It was a mistake on the part of the laboratory.”
GMC principal Dr Sujata Sharma said, “It was a clerical mistake by a data entry operator but it which was rectified later.”
