Coronavirus chaos: 31 COVID-19 patients escape from Tripura care centre; Railway authorities on alert

New Delhi, Apr 23: As many as 31 patients suffering from the novel coronavirus escaped from a COVID-19 care centre in Tripura after which the Tripura Police launched a massive search operation to locate them.

According to reports, all those who fled had arrived in Tripura from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal to take part in a recruitment rally of Tripura State Rifles.

They were being treated in a temporary care centre at Panchayat Raj Training Institute (PRTI) in the Arundhatinagar area, said Shailesh Kumar Yadav, District Magistrate, West Tripura district.

Railway authorities on high alerted

Speaking to media, Sadar Subdivisional Police Officer Anirban Das said, "We have informed all the police stations about the incident and alerted the railway authorities since they have come here from other states. We have initiated a search operation to trace them."

"Security arrangements were in place at the main gate of the centre, but the patients escaped from the backside of the facility by climbing the boundary wall," he added. West Tripura District Magistrate Shailesh Kumar Yadav said the facility has 65 beds, and there were 56 COVID-19 patients.

People coming to Tripura must carry a COVID-19 negative report from April 24, otherwise, they have to take a rapid antigen test. On Thursday, Tripura recorded 34,262 COVID-19 cases as 76 more people tested positive for COVID-19.

MEanwhile, on Thursday, 385 passengers fled from the Silchar airport to escape mandatory COVID-19 testing. The authorities have said that criminal action will be initiated against them.

The passengers were supposed to undergo swab tests at the airport and the nearby Mahatma Gandhi Model Hospital in Tikal. However, chaos erupted as hundreds of passengers made a fuss over the payment of Rs 500 for the tests.

Authorities have said that passengers have violated the rules and will be tracked after which criminal action under Section 188 of the IPC (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and other relevant provisions will be initiated against them.