Panjab University guard booked for defying quarantine norms, hostellers asked to self-quarantine

The guard resides in Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, and is a neighbour of the 30-year-old operation theatre attendant of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, who tested positive for Covid-19 on April 24, triggering a spike that has seen the number of cases in Chandigarh doubling to 56 within four days

A security guard at Panjab University, Chandigarh, was booked on Tuesday for violating quarantine norms and attending work despite being identified as a community contact of a Covid-infected neighbour.

As many as 15 residents of boys’ hostel number 1, where the guard was on duty, have been advised to self-quarantine till his test report comes back. (HT FILE)

As many as 15 residents of boys’ hostel number 1, where the guard was on duty, have been advised to self-quarantine till his test report comes back.

The guard resides in Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, and is a neighbour of the 30-year-old operation theatre attendant of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, who tested positive for Covid-19 on April 24, triggering a spike that has seen the number of cases in Chandigarh doubling to 56 within four days.

“We were checking if all people who attended the party are following quarantine norms at their homes. The PU employee wasn’t at home, and following verification, it came to the fore that he was going for duty for the past three days,” said a police official, privy to the matter.

PU in its statement said the guard stayed at the servant quarter of the hostel for a night after he was denied entry into Bapu Dham Colony, which has been declared an “affected pocket”, with just one entry and exit point and police deployment.

Police have removed him from the varsity campus and booked him under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection disease dangerous to life) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Professor Navdeep Goyal, who is the chairman of PU’s Covid-19 advisory committee said: “Students living in the hostel have been advised to quarantine themselves as a precautionary measure till the test report of the guard comes back. Packed food is being delivered to them.”

Hostel warden Rajeev Kumar said: “The hostel is being sanitised and students have been advised to maintain social distancing.” The warden has also recommended termination of the hostel staffer.