Quarantined coronavirus patient booked for escaping isolation ward in Patiala

Tribune News Service
Patiala, March 31

Patiala Police booked a person quarantined for coronavirus for fleeing an isolation ward at a local hospital, officials said on Tuesday.

The patient, who was admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital and is still awaiting his test results, escaped after he had an argument with the about having his ward changed. He had been insisting on being moved to another ward because he did not want to share space with a coronavirus positive patient.

The patient was brought back to the hospital on Tuesday morning, and was booked for assaulting a public servant on duty (Section 353); obstructing a public servant from doing his duty (section 186); disobeying an order by a public servant (section 188) and doing something that could spread an infection (Sections 269 and 270) of the Indian Penal Code.

The criminal charges came after the district health department wrote asking police to take action.

Patiala Civil Surgeon Harish Malhotra said that the patient was endangering others around him.

“We are doing our best, but still people are not ready to cooperate. They (people) are not following the health guidelines. I have already written to the police to book the patient for his irresponsible behaviour,” Malhotra said.

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