LUCKNOW: The two inmates of Kanpur shelter home, who had reportedly tested positive for HIV and Hepatitis C, have tested negative for both the infections in the confirmatory tests on Wednesday.

Notably, eyebrows were raised when seven inmates of Kanpur’s government shelter home were found to be pregnant. Of those 7, five were among those 57 inmates who had tested positive for deadly COVID-19 last week and the shelter home emerged as the new hotspot in Kanpur.

Two of those five pregnant minors had also tested positive for HIV and Hepatitis-C in the initial screening. The sources claimed that while the pregnant inmates, who had tested positive for COVID-19, were taken to specialised Covid-19 maternity facility where their samples were sent to microbiology labs for
confirmatory tests. As per the test results, those two who had earlier shown infliction of HIV and Hepatitis-C tested negative for the diseases. However, COVId-19 was confirmed in them.

Meanwhile, an FIR was lodged against unidentified persons for allegedly circulating false information about a shelter home in Kanpur where 57 inmates, including five pregnant girls, tested positive for coronavirus.

Registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by district probation officer Ajit Kumar, the FIR claimed that false news about the shelter was circulated on different platforms, including social media and news channels, and the identities of the inmates were disclosed. The five pregnant girls were victims of
sexual crimes, said the FIR.

The case was filed at the Swaroop Nagar police station under Sections 228-A (disclosure of the identity of the victim of certain offences etc), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code.

The police have also invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. As per the police sources, Kumar, in his complaint, said despite laws preventing the disclosure of the identity of minors staying at shelter homes, people had
revealed information about them.

Apart from the inmates, a woman Class 4 employee at the shelter also tested positive. The shelter houses inmates between 10 and 18 years old. They are kept there on the directions of the District Child Welfare Committee. The remaining 114 girls and 37 employees have been quarantined in a separate building.