NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old woman who tested positive for the novel coronavirus at AIIMS on Sunday went missing from the hospital after she was told that she would be sent to a dedicated Covid centre for treatment. Two days later, her husband, a suspected Covid patient, also went missing. Police are searching for the couple.
Her husband had on Monday also lodged a missing complaint for his wife at the Greater Kailash police station. Police, however, suspected he was aware of her whereabouts.
The couple lived at a rented house in south Delhi’s Zamrudpur village. While the man works as a housekeeper at a restaurant in Greater Kailash, his wife is a homemaker. On Sunday, the couple went to AIIMS to get their Covid tests done.
While the woman tested positive, test result of her husband was still awaited. After she was told by the doctors that she would be sent to a dedicated facility, she fled the hospital.
Deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Thakur said that her husband was informed and he pretended that his wife had gone missing. “Our initial probe suggests that while she was being searched at the hospital, she reached her rented house in Zamrudpur from where she went to Muraina, her maternal house,” he added.
A day after, the woman’s husband had approached police and got a missing complaint lodged. However, on Wednesday, it was found that the man also could not be located.
Police suspect that he has also left for Muraina. Teams have been formed to arrest the woman and trace her husband.
Investigating officers said that the couple’s family members’ contacts were obtained and during questioning, they confirmed that she was on her way to Muraina. A case under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) has been registered against her.
A police officer said it was being probed if the husband helped her escape. “If found involved, he will also face legal action,” the officer added.