Covid +ve criminal escapes from Hazaribag hospital twice in three days

Hazaribag: A 26-year-old criminal, who tested positive for Covid-19 four days back and was undergoing treatment at the Hazaribag Medical College and Hospital (HMCH), escaped once again, this time through the toilet’s ventilator, sending police into a tizzy on Thursday. He had earlier escaped on July 6, but was held after a raid.
Hazaribag SP Karthik S said a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to trace the culprit. “The criminal gave police a slip early in the morning when he had gone to the toilet. He was lodged at the prisoner’s cell in the hospital. When he didn’t come out for a long time, the guards broke open the door and found that he had escaped through the ventilator.”
Karthik added, “We are also probing if there was any security lapse and will take action against those accountable for it.” The criminal is a habitual offender and mostly engaged in petty crimes, sources said.
HMCH superintendent Dr Sanjay Kumar Singh said doctors have nothing to do with the escape as it was the duty of the police to ensure his custodial security. He added, "This is the second time he has escaped. He had run away on July 6 and was later nabbed after a raid was conducted."
After he was arrested and tested positive for the virus, two police stations at Sadar and Korah had to be sealed and 79 personnel were kept under home quarantine.
On Thursday, Katkumdag police station was also sealed after an arrested criminal brought to the police station tested positive. The district administration has also enforced Section 144 because of the spurt in Covid-19 cases in the district. Till Wednesday, the district recorded 227 cases of the virus of which 55 are still active.