Assam: COVID-19 positive jail inmate escapes hospital in Kokrajhar

A COVID-19 patient reportedly escaped from the isolation ward of Rup Nath Brahma Civil Hospital in Kokrajhar district in Assam on July 29^th, 2020 morning.

The patient, who escaped from the hospital, hails from Santipara of Dhaligaon in Chirang district, was a rape convict was lodged at the District Jail in Kokrajhar in connection with Dhaligaon police station case number 112/20 under section 376D of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of May 15^th, 2020.

The escaped patient has been identified as Sukut Murmu alias Sukla (27). Murmu was admitted to the isolation ward of the COVID-19 hospital on 24^th July after he was found COVID-19 positive during a random swab test at the District Jail.

Kokrajhar district administration, Assam in association with the office of the joint director, health services had initiated the random swab collection inside district jail from July 15^th, 2020.

Also read: Assam reports 1348 new COVID-19 cases, 348 in Kamrup (M)

According to the superintendent(in-charge) of RNB civil hospital and senior doctor of the hospital, Dr N R Biswas, today morning about 9 am a nurse at the isolation ward noticed that the iron rods of the window in the corridor of the second floor of the hospital building, which housed the COVID-19 patient, was seen broken and a cloth was hanging from the window for escaping from the hospital.

Immediately, she informed her seniors about the scenes and later informed to the police. Dr Biswas informed that hospital authority has started its verification into the incident and necessary measures have been put to check the incident.

A police team rushed the hospital after receiving information about incident and found that a positive patient was escaped from his isolation ward.

"The patient has escaped from the isolation ward after breaking the window as clothes were found hanging from the wall of the hospital", said a senior police officer.

The police officer has also expressed serious concern over the incident as the patient is not only a COVID positive, but also an under trial jail inmate.

A strict security vigil has tightened along the hospital complex to guard the patients as well maintaining strict checks. A strict search operation is on against the incident.

It may be mentioned that 442 people have been detected positive for the virus to date in the district and among them 145 are still active.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate declared three more containment zone in Kokrajhar town to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic. The declared zones are included Gaurnanar, Santinagar and Rabindranagar which come after detection of five positive cases on Tuesday from Santinagar, one each from Rabindranagar and an employee from Kokrajhar deputy commissioner office. 

Earlier, the district magistrate had declared DC office as containment zone for three days two days ago and two places like Dalgaon and Gossaigaon Chariali area under Gossaigaon subdivision in the district.

Deputy Commissioner, Kokrajhar, Bhaskar Phukan told that district administrator in coordination with health services have been taking stern measures to combat the Coronavirus outbreak in the district and accordingly declared some more areas as containment zone after a thorough observation.

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