Guwahati: It was a carefree Saturday evening by the banks of the Hipu river in West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, with a crowd of youngsters enjoying under disco lights amid Sufi renditions at the Humgo Rigo Resort, 3.5 km from Aalo town.

Four days after the event, however, 13 persons who attended the party and their contacts tested positive for the novel coronavirus. On Thursday, 49 others tested positive, taking the total number of cases linked to the party to 62.

They are also nearly half of the active cases (134) in West Siang district, which as of Thursday recorded a total of 195 cases.

Section 144 in Aalo, FIR against organisers

West Siang is located in central Arunachal Pradesh with Aalo as its district headquarters. The rise in Covid-19 cases after the 29 August incident has prompted authorities to impose Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Aalo.

“There was no permission from the district administration to organise this party, and it was not within our knowledge. An FIR has been registered against the organisers, and a magisterial inquiry is under way,” said West Siang Deputy Commissioner Moki Loyi. “We have imposed Section 144 to restrict public movement so as to facilitate contact tracing for suspected cases.”

Until Thursday, 258 samples were tested in West Siang district. The positive patients have been admitted to Covid care centres at the Aalo Circuit House, Inspection Bungalow, the Aalo Town Club and at two hostels of the Government Higher Secondary School, Aalo. The Humgo Rigo Resort has been declared a containment zone.

Was a get-together, not a party: Organisers

One of the organisers of the event said it was a get-together at the village, and a cultural night where the seating arrangement was done following Covid-19 protocols. Tickets for the event were priced at Rs 3,000 with the poster reading ‘Ladies walk-in free’.

“It was a cultural night, a get-together and I don’t think we need permission for that. Some people were invited, but it was not a ‘DJ Night’ as projected. We had a local singer at the party,” said Kirzom Ete, a law student and the organising secretary of the Bili Bolo Boys group. “The seating arrangement was done with 50 chairs and maintaining social distancing. Not everyone was wearing a mask, though.”

Kirzom added, “A few of us were hoping to make some money for our admission into colleges by organising this event. Even though tickets were printed and priced at Rs 3,000 for entry, we accommodated people for Rs 500-2,000 as well.”

Kirzom has now been quarantined at the resort along with 12 others.

Local residents worried  

Locals in Aalo are concerned about community spread and have requested the district authorities to conduct mass testing and sanitise the entire Aalo township and its peripheral areas.

“I am not against organising any cultural or entertainment events but I do feel that despite the phase-wise unlock procedure initiated by the state government, such events should not have been organised in current times — considering the rising Covid-19 cases in the country,” said Marli Kamki, a local resident and secretary, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union. “Administrative or other action to look into the lapses should also be done in a time-bound manner after containing the possible local spread in the township.”

Arunachal Pradesh has recorded a total of 4,574 Covid-19 cases as of Thursday. There are still 1,399 active cases, while 3,167 people have been discharged at a recovery rate of 69.23 per cent. Eight people have died in the state.

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