24 more students test positive at Thapar Institute, Patiala, count rises to 93

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 1

Hours after 54 students tested positive for Covid-19, hundreds of students from various hostels held a New Year’s Eve bash in violation of the protocol at the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET) last night. The party, students claimed, continued until the wee hours of Saturday.

Sheer negligence

It is sheer negligence. The authorities should have taken care of this, especially when so many students have tested positive — Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist

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This, even as 24 more students tested positive at the institute on Saturday, taking the count to 93 over the past few days. Ironically, the Health Department has decided not to conduct further testing in other hostels on the campus, evidently owing to the lackadaisical attitude of the institute authorities.

In a video accessed by The Tribune, students were last evening seen dancing and roaming on the campus, in clear violation of the safety protocol. Unmindful of the serious implications of their behaviour, some symptomatic students also took part in the party, said sources.

However, Thapar authorities denied organising any such party. Gurbinder Singh, registrar, TIET, said: “The institute has not organised any New Year’s Eve party. We are not even aware of students holding such a party at the hostel. They might have gathered on their own.” The Health Department said it was negligence on part of students and institute authorities.

Dr Sumeet Singh, district epidemiologist, said: “Of course, large gatherings are bound to spread infection. The authorities should have taken care of this, especially when so many students have tested positive.”

DC Sandeep Hans said the institute had been asked to ensure such laxity should not be repeated in the future.