Vadodara: Paan masala robber tests positive after arrest in Dabhoi

TNN | Updated: Apr 16, 2020, 06:54 IST

He and his aide were nabbed and sent to SSG Hospital

VADODARA: Had he not robbed a provision store owner out of desperation to get paan masala on Monday, Dabhoi’s Ayub Tai would not have been diagnosed of coronavirus so soon. With Tai’s report turning out to be positive, Dabhoi taluka in Vadodara district registered its first case of coronavirus.
Tai and his accomplice Kuldeep Sharma had targeted provision store owner Mahesh Bariya near a railway crossing at Timbi village in Dabhoi taluka of Vadodara district. The duo had looted packets of paan masala worth Rs4,625 from Bariya along with his gold ring and fled. Bariya had then approached Dabhoi police with a complaint of robbery and given the duo’s bike registration number.
Police said based on the registration number, Tai and Sharma were nabbed on Tuesday and sent to SSG Hospital for tests. “However, before arresting them their medical check-up and tests for coronavirus had to be conducted as per protocol,” said deputy superintendent of police H J Chaudhary. On Wednesday, Tai’s report turned out to be positive while Sharma tested negative. Tai has been admitted at the isolation ward at GMERS Medical College and Hospital in Gotri.
“The patient has not revealed his travel history so it is not known how he got infected of the virus and police are trying to inquire about it,” said chief district health officer Dr Uday Tilawat.
Meanwhile, district administration and Dabhoi police have turned Ram Tekri area in Dabhoi town where Tai was living into community containment area. “This area has 150 buildings and around 600 people live here. The health department has initiated door-to-door surveillance and if any person shows symptoms of coronavirus, their samples will be collected for tests,” said district collector Shalini Agrawal.
Besides, Ram Tekri, seven other surrounding localities have also been declared as buffer zones. These areas have 330 buildings and around 1,650 people live here. Dabhoi police are trying to find out all those people who have come in contact with Tai.