Eight Kota students ‘exempted’ from rapid test?

Pathikrit Chakraborty | TNN | Apr 21, 2020, 07:00 IST

Brought in 11 buses, 273 students were dropped at BBD Institute in Chinhat where their rapid tests were conducted

Brought in 11 buses, 273 students were dropped at BBD Institute in Chinhat where their rapid tests were conduc...Read More

LUCKNOW: As many as 273 city students out of 281, brought from Kota to Lucknow on UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses in the past two days, were sent home after rapid antibody test found them negative and parents gave an undertaking that they would keep their wards in home quarantine for 14 days.
Brought in 11 buses, the 273 students were dropped at BBD Institute in Chinhat where rapid tests were done. However, eight of them were dropped at the Police Lines in Mahanagar and were sent homes after thermal scanning and an advice to stay home quarantined for 14 days.
The state government had made arrangements for bringing back UP students studying in various coaching institutes in Kota. They were stuck there due to the nationwide lockdown. While 51 city students arrived on Sunday, 230 reached on Monday. Till the time of writing this report, two more buses with 35 students were on way to Lucknow.
When asked why eight students were dropped at the Police Lines, assistant commissioner of police, Police Lines, SMQ Abidi said that the UPSRTC bus driver spoke to parents of the eight students on phone and on their request he dropped their wards at the Police Lines as their homes were located nearby. However, he added, that thermal scanning of all eight was done.
DM, Lucknow, Abhishek Prakash said that rapid antibody tests to find out possibilities of infection done on 273 students at BBD Institute were negative. Similar procedure will be followed for the 35 students on way to Lucknow, he added. When asked why rapid test was not done on eight students dropped at Police Lines, the DM said he was not aware of it. CMO Lucknow, Dr Narendra Agarwal said that a 10-member team performed rapid anti-body tests at BBD Insitute.
Meanwhile, students heaved a sigh of relief after reaching their home town. Akshat Tripathi began to cry seeing his parents, but Heera Siddiqui erupted in joy and hugged her father. They were among eight who deboarded the bus at Police Lines where their parents receive them “A week after the lockdown we began to feel the pinch. Each passing day was getting difficult,” said Noori, preparing for NEET at a private coaching in Kota. She stays in Alambagh.
Akshat, an IIT aspirant, said that “My mess was shut. Though food was delivered from outside, but I had doubts on its quality. I took only biscuits and bread for 15 days,” he said.
Similarly, Heera Siddiqui, also a NEET aspirant, said that only one meal was served to them. “The price of eatables had gone up. The stay was becoming difficult. I would like to thank chief minister Yogi Adityanath for his decision to bring us back,” said Heera.
Juhi, another NEET aspirant from Kota, said “we were in trauma. First we thought that lockdown will get over in 21 days, but when it got extended we were in stress. There were no classes and exams were postponed.”