Activist Umar Khalid tests Covid-19 positive in Tihar

The prison complex has 227 active cases of infection among prisoners and 60 among jail officials.

Jailed activist Umar Khalid tested positive for Covid-19 and has been kept in isolation within the prison complex, according to officials of Delhi’s Tihar jail.

Umar Khalid, who was arrested and charged for his alleged involvement in the February 2020 Delhi riots, was lodged inside a cell in jail 2. (Vipin Kumar/HT file)

Khalid, who was arrested and charged for his alleged involvement in the February 2020 Delhi riots, was lodged inside a cell in jail 2. He is among 240 prisoners who have tested positive for the infection since April 1.

The prison complex has 227 active cases of infection among prisoners and 60 among jail officials.

On April 20, gangster-turned-politician Mohammed Shahabuddin, another inmate of jail number 2, tested positive and was admitted to a hospital, where he is still being treated.

The prison’s director general, Sandeep Goel confirmed that Khalid tested positive and said he is in isolation.

Khalid’s friend Banojyotsna Lahiri, on Sunday said they received a call from the jail informing them about the test result.

“We had approached court demanding an RT-PCR test for him. The court asked Tihar to submit a status report on Monday. They got his rapid antigen test result at GTB on Saturday, and was diagnosed positive, with mild symptoms. They gave him medicines and sent him back. So far, he is in good health.”