COVID-19: Hyderabad engineer booked for spreading false information on third wave 

HYDERABAD: Taking a strong stand against pseudoscience, the Director of Public Health Dr GS Rao filed a complaint in Sultan Bazar police station against a Chemical Engineer Dr Paruchuri Mallik, who appeared on a TV news show and allegedly spread misinformation on COVID-19 third wave and virus variants. The official, who has no degree in medicine, allegedly said on the show that one person from every household would die in the third wave.

The video which was posted on several Youtube channels has gone viral, creating panic among the public. Taking a strong objection to this, the DPH, on Monday, said that the individual had no official training in epidemiology or medical science, yet he continued to spread panic.

In a written complaint, Dr Rao said, "In these testing times, spreading of rumours by P Mallik, which are unfounded and do not have any scientific backing, will definitely cause panic and distress among the common man.No institution or individual across the world has made any prediction regarding the impending third wave and its effect on families or children."

Sultan Bazar PS has booked a case against Dr Parchuri Mallik under Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act and Section 505 of the IPC. The officials reaffirmed the steps being taken by the State government for the expected third wave. "People must understand that they hold the key to how and when the third wave would arrive," said Director of Medical Education Dr Ramesh Reddy.