UP: Mirzapur divisional hospital's doctor goes missing mysteriously

VARANASI: Dr JP Tripathi (55), a senior consultant at divisional hospital of Mirzapur district, went missing mysteriously after leaving his car to respond nature’s call near Bhatauli bridge on river Ganga under the limits of Dehat Kotwali police station in Mirzapur district on Saturday morning.
SP Mirzapur Ajay Singh, who camped at the incident site to monitor search operation in afternoon, said that while alert has been sounded across the district to search him, teams of NDRF and divers had also been engaged in river Ganga. Despite all these efforts Tripathi could not be searched till late evening.
Police said, Tripathi had left his home in Varanasi to reach Mirzapur divisional hospital. When the car reached near Bhatauli bridge Tripathi asked his driver to stop the vehicle as he had to go to urinate. However, when he did not return even after 15 minutes the driver started searching him and on failing in his bid he called Tripathi’s wife Dr Sunanda, who is employed at HB Cancer Hospital Lehartara, and reported the matter. His son is also a medical practitioner.
SP Mirzapur said that after Dr Sunanda alerted Mirzapur police, efforts to search him were started immediately. Tripathi was initially posted in Basti as medical officer and he had joined Mirzapur divisional hospital in July. Tripathi’s driver told his family members that he was upset over providing consultation to patients at the time of Covid-19 menace as many suspected cases also visited him.
The cops not only searched Tripathi in all the places where he could go on foot from Bhatauli bridge but the motorboat of UP Bridge Corporation was also engaged in water while over five divers continued the search operation. Huge gathering of locals remained evident till late evening to watch the search operation.