2 localities sealed in Sultanwind area, sanitisation drive under way

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 2

The district administration has sealed Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar and Tej Nagar areas in Sultanwind area after Padma Shri recipient and former Hazoori Ragi Nirmal Singh Khalsa died due to coronavirus during treatment at Government Medical College here early Thursday morning. Khalsa had tested positive for the disease on Wednesday.

Also read: 86 took part in ex-Ragi’s Sec 27 event, quarantined in Chandigarh 

The death of Khalsa had a visible impact on public’s psychology, as lesser movement on roads was witnessed on roads on Thursday as compared to Wednesday.

The administration has also sent five of his family members and two members of his Ragi Jatha to the isolation centre. The administration officials said the entire area is being sanitised. The administration has appealed to the general public to stay at home. The administration is also tracing contacts of the family members and two ragis, who have been kept in isolation.

The administration had also decided to cremate Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa at a cremation ground in Verka village on the outskirts of the city instead of organising the cremation at his ground in Sultanwind area, so as to bring the infected body to the congested area.

Verka village residents lock cremation ground

Residents of Verka led by Congress councillor Harpal Singh objected to the move and locked the cremation ground.

Residents said they can suggest a better option for the cremation and the administration should avoid cremating the body near residential areas. Several rounds of meetings by different officials of the administration with residents were held but a solution to the problem could not be found.

The district officials said the cremation would be done under the guidance of medical experts and proper precautions would be taken. The administration would allow only one or two members of the family at the cremation but they would not be allowed to touch or go near the body. The body of the deceased has been kept at the mortuary.

Bhai Nirmal Singh’s kin quarantined till Apr 15

Tarn Taran: Relatives of former Hazoori Raagi of Golden Temple Padma Shri Bhai Nirmal Singh, who died of cardiac arrest in an Amritsar hospital on Thursday morning, have been quarantined till April 15. A notice in this regards has been pasted outside the residence of the relatives here by the Health Department. Bhai Nirmal Singh’s relatives have been putting up at Muradpur where he came to see them on March 11 soon after returning from abroad. SMO Dr Inder Mohan Gupta said the family members had been instructed to remain at home where they would not be allowed to come out nor none would be permitted to enter the premises. Police personnel had been deployed outside the house. The administration expressed satisfaction that the crucial period of two weeks had passed when the relatives met him. Deputy Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal has advised residents to follow the instructions of the administration regarding social distancing and self-isolation.

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