50-year-old charged with molesting two minor Covid-19 patients in Tripura

A 50-year-old member of the cleaning staff of a Covid Care Centre in Unakoti district, nearly 130 kilometres from Agartala, was charged with molesting two minor Covid-19 patients.

He is yet to be arrested, police said Sunday. The case was lodged on Friday.

The two 17-year-old patients were admitted to the centre nearly 10 days before they lodged the complaint.

A case was registered against the suspect under Section 354 (a) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 08 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

“An investigation is on. Both the complainants are at the centre and their statements would be recorded soon after their release. The man has not been arrested yet,” said Unakoti superintendent of police Rati Ranjan Debnath.

A health officer from Unakoti district said that the man was removed from duty on Friday after the case was lodged against him.

In addition, they submitted a proposal to the state government to appoint a woman as part of the cleaning staff to avoid such incidents.