Two Covid patients flee from Barotiwala, reach Delhi

Tribune News Service
Solan, August 11

Two COVID-19 positive youth fled from the Covid care centre at Kalujhinda in Barotiwala on Sunday evening using an iron ladder and reached Delhi.

Their escape has put a question mark on the security arrangements and also highlighting the spread of the infection as it was detected after 16 hours yesterday.

SP Baddi, Rohit Malpani said the civil contractor, who had left behind an iron ladder, as well as the two patients have been booked under Sections 188,269 and 270 of the IPC and Section 3 of the Epidemic Act.

The duo was found missing from their rooms since yesterday morning according to the other patients but their absence was detected after several hours by the staff.

Apart from the main door, there is no other exit from the centre as it is surrounded by high boundary walls from all sides.

The centre is located close to the Haryana border.

The abject laxity adopted by the staff was clear from the fact that neither the  para-medical staff deputed at the centre nor the  security staff deputed at the gate had been going in to count the number of patients admitted there.

Reports of patients complaining of delay in availability of food or issues pertaining to water and power availability have been received by the nodal officer or the doctor on duty and apart from this there was no communication with the officials.

“The police guard the outer area and control the main exit and entry but doesn’t go inside. The SDM has been requested to install CCTVs on all floors so that the police can monitor the patients from outside safely,” added the SP.