Delhi: Rape accused in isolation as survivor tests positive

NEW DELHI: A rape accused lodged at Tihar Jail was sent into isolation along with two of his co-inmates after the survivor tested positive for Covid-19 recently. A juvenile who had allegedly helped the rape accused in the crime was also put under quarantine at the juvenile home.
The jail in which the rape accused is lodged has high profile inmates like Chhota Rajan and Shahabuddin staying in different cells.
On Monday evening, the jail officials, however, said that the accused tested negative for the novel coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Tihar Jail has intensified measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus within the jail premises. Guidelines on enhanced social distancing rules have been issued for inmates and a special task force has been formed for contact-tracing in case if anyone is found Covid-19 positive.
Tihar DG Sandeep Goel said that the rape accused was jailed in prison number-2 with two other inmates. They were jailed for different crimes. “On Friday evening, the jail officers were informed about the rape victim turning out to be Covid-19 positive after which all the three inmates were put under observation. Their samples were collected at the jail hospital and sent for the test. Though their test results have been negative, they will continue to be kept in quarantine,” Goel added.
The security guards who had interacted with the accused were sent to isolation too.
Jail authorities say that every jail will now have an isolation ward, apart from the usual quarantine cells, and no inmate will be allowed to leave the jail premises. Entry of new inmates will also be restricted to a few selected jails.
“From now on, everyone entering the jail premises will have to undergo scanning. A medical screening guideline has been framed for all jail staff. Referrals and visits to hospitals have been restricted only to emergency cases. The entry of NGOs and non-essential services has been suspended,” a jail staff member told TOI.
“Experts from well-known mental health institutes are counselling inmates and new arrestees about the benefits of quarantine facilities in the jail. Inmates are preparing sanitisers, gloves and facemasks within the jail premises itself,” he added.