Punjab police has registered a case against two corona positive patients in Patiala for flouting curfew norms, and “spreading infection”. On the same charges, two persons were booked in another case in Rajpura town of Patiala district for organizing hookah parties.
With 49 cases, Patiala district is a Covid-19 hotspot, of which 30 cases are from Rajpura alone.
Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that a letter was received from Patiala Civil Surgeon with copy to Patiala Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday, and a preliminary inquiry was conducted.
“On the basis of that, an FIR was registered under sections 188, 269, 271 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 51 of Disaster Management Act at Kotwali police station in Patiala against Krishan Kumar Gaba and Krishan Kumar Bansal along with some unknown persons,” said the SSP.
The district police chief said that even after the imposition of curfew and lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic, they “violated the directions and orders issued by administration and kept on doing their businesses. It is learnt that they had travelled at many places in Patiala and even outside. Further, they became positive with Covid-19 and because of their irresponsible act, many others came in the grip of this epidemic”.
Notably, Gaba runs a shop at a congested books’ market in Patiala, and he had already sold books to many parents in the city disregarding the lockdown — putting all of them at the risk of virus infection.
What is worrisome that the source of infection of the book trader is not known. And to top it all! The bookseller sold books to over 100 parents, in several cities, including Rajpura, Zirakpur. Tracing his contacts is a herculean task for the state health department.
Patiala Deputy Commissioner Kumar Amit had to issue an appeal to the people, who had come in contact with the infected trader, to come forward. He had also asked the parents, who purchased books from the infected trader, to come forward on their own.
The Deputy Commissioner, taking strong note of the “misuse” of curfew pass for carrying out business, has made it clear that any laxity on the part of authorities while issuing curfew pass would be dealt with strictly.
In another case, an FIR was lodged against two in Rajpura for spreading corona virus and flouting curfew norms.
“Rajpura Senior Medical Officer (SMO) today intimated Rajpura DSP through a letter regarding irresponsible movement of individuals (who were found to be Covid-19 positive) in Rajpura city. A preliminary inquiry was thus also conducted by Police Station City Rajpura. On the basis of that, FIR has been registered on Thursday under sections 188, 269, 271, 336 of the IPC and 51 of Disaster Management Act at Police Station City Rajpura, against Krishan alias Kallu and Balraj alias Ballu along with some unknown persons,” said SSP Sidhu.
He said that even after imposition of curfew and lockdown, they violated the directions and orders issued by administration and met many people in Rajpura.
“It is learnt that they had travelled outside Rajpura also. Further, they became positive with covid 19 and because of their irresponsible act, many others including their family came in the grip of this epidemic,” he added.
Senior officials confirmed that more than 20 of the active cases are directly or primary links of the hookah parties organized by them which continues almost every day ever since the lockdown started, last month.
Sources confirmed that the hookah gatherings, attended by businessmen, satta operators, local leaders and even medical professionals, were the primary reason in majority of the 15 cases cropping up from Rajpura block in the past week.