Poet Varavara Rao, accused in Bhima Koregaon case, tests Covid-19 positive

Rao, who was shifted to the hospital after he complained of giddiness, has been keeping unwell for a while.

Poet and writer Varavara Rao, accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, confirmed Dr Ranjit Mankeshwar, dean of JJ hospital in Mumbai.

Rao, who was shifted to the hospital after he complained of giddiness, has been keeping unwell for a while.

The family members of Rao, 81, had expressed concern about his worsening health condition. Rao’s wife Hemalatha and daughters Sahaja, Anala and Pavana said while speaking to reporters they were worried about his deteriorating health, as was evident from the phone call they had received on Saturday.

Rao’s co-prisoner also told the family that the poet-writer needed immediate medical care for not only physical but also neurological issues.

In April, around 40 prominent writers wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting Rao’s release in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

He was first arrested by the Pune Police in August 2018, but was released after a court order. He was rearrested in November 2018. Initially lodged in the Yeravada Jail in Pune, he was later moved to the Mumbai prison.