Tested positive for Covid-19, Palwal man booked for hiding travel history

A 48-year-old man tested positive for Covid-19 was booked by the police on Sunday for allegedly defying lockdown and not disclosing to the district administration

A 48-year-old man tested positive for Covid-19 was booked by the police on Sunday for allegedly defying lockdown and not disclosing to the district administration that he had returned from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh where he lived with 11 persons who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi last month. The police said despite the lockdown. the suspect returned to his village Mirpur in Palwal on April 7 where he hid in his house.

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The police said on April 8 the sarpanch of Mirpur village informed the district administration and the police about the man following which teams were sent to his house and he was taken to the Palwal Civil Hospital.

Dr Brahmdeep Sindhu, chief medical officer, Palwal Civil Hospital, said the man was immediately placed under quarantine and his samples were collected. The man tested positive on April 10. “We have collected samples of his 13 close contacts, including his family members, and their test reports are awaited,” he said.

The police said that the man had gone to Guntur around two months ago. The 11 Jamaati members with whom the man stayed there had tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), they added.

Deepak Gehlawat, superintendent of police, Palwal, said the suspect returned from Andhra Pradesh hiding in a truck that was carrying essential goods. “ After returning back, he went to his house and did not inform the district administration or the police despite strict warnings to those who had attended the congregation in Nizamuddin, Delhi or had come in contact with Jamaat members ,” he said.

More than 2,350 people were evacuated from Tablighi’s Jamaat headquarters in Nizamuddin, also called the Markaz, last month and several evacuees have tested positive for Covid-19.

The man has been booked under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and section 54 of Disaster management act 2005.

“The sarpanch learned about his return and sent his car to take him to the civil hospital. We have placed his family members and close contacts under quarantine until their samples are received,” Dr Sindhu said.

Naresh Narwal, deputy commissioner of Palwal, said the sarpanch will be felicitated on August 15.

Meanwhile, 15 people were booked in Nuh on Sunday for allegedly not informing the authorities about their visit to the Nizamuddin Markaz.

While nine people were booked at the Nagina police station, two persons were booked at Pinagwa police station and four at Bicchor police station.

Superintendent of police, Nuh, Narender Bijarniya, said all fifteen had attended a Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin on February 6 and returned on March 17. “Despite several reminders, they did not visit the hospital to get their tests done. They hid their travel history and instead of confining themselves to home, they continued travelling around and meeting people in their village and nearby areas even after the lockdown was invoked,” he said.

The police said the samples of the fifteen persons and samples of their all close contacts have been taken and their reports are awaited.