Man with Tablighi Jamaat link escapes from Hoshiarpur civil hospital, caught

Though he had no symptoms of the virus apart from mild fever, his swab samples were sent for investigation as a measure of precaution

A 40-year-old man, who was brought to the civil hospital here for the coronavirus test due to his alleged link to the Tablighi Jamaat, escaped after breaking the window of the isolation ward.

After an alert had been sounded in the area, the police in Mahilpur arrested the man from near Chabbewal village on Thursday evening and handed him over to the health authorities. (HT FILE)

Identified as Yousuf Khan of Nagrota Bagwan, Himachal Pradesh, the man had been brought from Dasuya railway station where he was stuck due to the lockdown. After an alert had been sounded in the area, the police in Mahilpur arrested the man from near Chabbewal village on Thursday evening and handed him over to the health authorities.

Senior medical officer (SMO) Jaswinder Singh said Yousuf Khan was quarantined following a complaint that he may have attended the Tablighi congregation in Delhi. Although he had no symptoms of the virus apart from mild fever, his swab samples were collected and sent for investigation as a measure of precaution, he said.

“He will remain at the hospital till his report arrives,” the SMO said, adding that the man had given a false identification to the security guards to flee from the hospital on Wednesday.

“He identified himself as the man who had been recently discharged on being tested negative,” the SMO said.

He said the man seemed to be a “slightly unstable” .