Nine RPF jawans test positive for Covid-17

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 24 APRIL: At least nine of 28 constables of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) who reached Howrah station from Delhi earlier this month have tested positive for Covid-19.

A railway official said eight of the affected men are posted in West Bengal while one in Odisha. Further, among eight RPF personnel, six jawans are posted in Kharagpur, one person in Santragachi and another one in Uluberia. The RPF jawan posted at Balasore in Odisha is now admitted in the Aswini Hospital in Cuttack.

The results of the swab samples of two more men who were part of the contingent are awaited.

Earlier 19 persons who came in contact with the jawans were taken in quarantine, while more 35 persons have been taken to quarantine after the reports of the sample tests appeared positive. As of now, a total of 54 persons have been taken in quarantine, though the railway authorities are desperately looking for other unknown persons who came close with the jawans, a railway official said.

The 28-member RPF contingent — from the Kharagpur division of South Eastern Railway — had left for Delhi and Rajasthan on 20 March for zonal training of RPF jawans which railway officials termed “an important assignment”.

The group took the train from the national capital to Kolkata on 13 April and reached Howrah on the next day. Upon arrival, the RPF personnel took a bus to Kharagpur around 8am.

As the nationwide lockdown had come into effect on 25 March, the RPF contingent had been stuck in New Delhi. The members stayed at the barracks in Dayabasti, New Delhi, till 12 April.

“It was decided to run parcel special trains for transportation of essential goods during lockdown. Subsequently, the parcel special trains started from 31 March. Since there was scarcity of ammunition with RPF in SER, the ammunition collecting contingent was advised to move by suitable parcel train from Delhi. It is pertinent to note that the on-duty movement of armed forces was exempted from the restrictions imposed during the lockdown,” the railways ministry said.

The divisional commercial manager of Kharagpur railway division, Aditya Chowdhury said, “The nine men have been shifted to hospitals. Their contacts, including colleagues in the barracks, have been sent to quarantine centres.”

Barracks were “isolated from the civilian population even in the absence of curbs”, the officer said.

Dr Girish Chandra Bera, chief medical officer of health in West Midnapore said, “All the six RPF jawans who tested positive for Covid-19 have been sent to the Covid hospital in Mecheda”.

Meanwhile, a war of words has erupted between the Trinamul Congress TMC) and the railways over nine RPF personnel testing positive for coronavirus in West Bengal, with the ruling party in the state questioning how the infected men travelled during the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the deadly disease.

Raising concerns over the development, TMC MP Derek O'Brien tweeted, saying, “Getting disturbing news. 9 #RPF personnel test + for #Covid19 in Bengal. 6 in Kharagpur, 1 each Mecheda/Uluberia. They all came to Kolkata from Delhi on 14 April by train. Why were positive patients traveling during #lockdown? WHO SENT THEM ? Screening? How many people did they met (sic)?”

Responding to the tweet by O'Brien, who is the national spokesperson of the Mamata Banerjee-led party, the railways said there was no violation of the guidelines issued for COVID-19 management by the Centre or any state government, while adding that the RPF contingent had not come in contact with any members of the public.

Courtesy: Image from Sakshi Samachar. 

Constable takes 150 colleagues hostage in Jhargram standoff

Biswabrata Goswami 

Statesman News Service

JHARGRAM, 23 APRIL: A junior police constable posted at armoury section of Jhargram police district took more than 150 police personnel, both male and female, hostage inside the barracks in the Jhargram police line this afternoon, leading to a prolonged standoff that ended only around 8 pm.

Police said the constable Vinod Kumar, from Kotsila in Purulia district, fired at least 40 rounds from his self loading rifle (SLR) from the roof of the armoury building as senior police officers tried to climb up to reason with him.

Though, no person has been hurt, he did not let anyone in or out of the building. Kumar was said to be in possession of an SLR with around 180 rounds.

As the panic gripped the locality, police put up barricades on the roads leading to the barracks while a large force rushed to the site.

But initial efforts to negotiate with Kumar failed as he was neither receiving phone calls nor responding to appeals.

The police even brought up anti-mine vehicles, from inside which officers tried to communicate with him. But the constable fired at the vehicles.

The stand-off finally ended at around 8 pm after police brought his family members to the site.

After his father spoke to him, Kumar finally laid aside his rifle and came down from the roof of the building.

A senior police officer said, “The area was cordoned off to prevent any person from getting shot, even as the roads were deserted owing to the coronavirus-related lockdown. Senior police officers, including SP Amitkumar Bharat Rathod, tried to persuade the junior constable to stop firing and come down. The reason for the constable taking to firing is yet to be known.”

According to a police official, three constables are normally posted on the roof of the armoury building on sentry duty. Kumar was one of three sentries assigned today to guard the armoury.

But after reaching the roof, Kumar suddenly started threatening his colleagues at gun point and forced them to go back to their rooms. The two constables came down and Kumar then fired five to six rounds from the roof of the building, causing panic in the area.

Special Story

Muslim men living under containment zone desperately looking for Hindu milkmen for milking their cows

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 22 APRIL: Thousands of Muslim men, who are now being forced to live under containment zone, are desperately looking for Hindu milkmen for milking their domestic cattle. For the last few days, hundreds of cows were not milked as no milkmen popularly known as Ghosh community are allegedly being allowed to enter into the Muslim dominated village soon after the Nadia district administration announced Charatala under Chapra police station area as a containment zone.

The village has been declared as a containment zone when an ex-BSF jawan was tested positive for Covid-19.

The problem has been aggravated as the Muslim community men living in the village are not habituated of milking their cows. Normally, Ghosh community men, who are basically involved in dairy business, used to go to the village for milking the cows. But, soon after the village was announced as a containment zone, police are not allowing any outsiders including the milkmen to get entry inside the village.

“As a result, hundreds of cows are not being milked. We are trying to milk our cows, but we are unable to do the job properly. This problem has become acute as the daily demand within our community for feeding our children is not being met. Even those who used to sell milk to the milkmen have started suffering from a monetary crisis”, said Mustakil Mollah, a resident of Charatala.

Mollah also said, “Our village is not a small one. We have four panchayat members. Around five to six thousand people are living here. Most of the families rear cattle like cows and buffalos. Many of them maintain their livelihoods by selling milk. But, we solely depend on the Hindu Ghosh community for milking the cows. Soon after the village suddenly came under the containment zone, no milkmen are being allowed to enter in our village. This has left us in deep distress”.

Aminul Sheikh, another resident said, “Every day, the milkmen purchase around 600 liters from this village alone. They then sell the milk and its produces to the sweet shops situated in the towns. Thus,  a local economic cycle existed in the village has been grossly hampered while trying to breach the chain of the dreaded novel coronavirus by taking the entire village in the quarantine”.

A state animal husbandry and dairy department official said, “Should a cow not be milked for a long enough time, she could develop a mastitic infection as bacteria enter the teat and mammary, and become gravely ill. Alternatively, biological feedback will cause milk production to decrease and eventually cease after about a week if it’s not being used.”

A teacher who did not wished to be named said this phenomenon once again proves that people do not bother religion and caste when they face deep crisis. To resolve the situation, the local administration should come forward, he added. 

The Charatala residents also alleged that they have repeatedly urged the district administration to look into this milking problem, but not to avail yet.

The villagers, however, alleged “The milkmen are also less interested in milking the cows because they fear of getting infected if they enter into the village. This apart, they are avoiding themselves from being harassed by the police. As the demand of milk and cheese has been grossly lowered, they are also less interested to come in the village". 

“This apart, we are also suffering from acute drinking water shortage. The local administration assured us of providing adequate drinking water during this containment time, but no enough step has been taken yet”, alleged Mollah.

When asked, Vibhu Goel, district magistrate, said, "I don't know about this problem. If it happens, I will look into this matter". 

Social distancing goes for toss during anti-coronavirus campaign

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 22 APRIL: Amidst the lockdown to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, an awareness campaign against the contagion attracted a large number of people at Santipur in Nadia, who in the process violated every norms and precautions they were being advised to take. 

The awareness programme about the novel coronavirus was organized by the Santipur municipality where some Bahurupi artists dressing themselves up as the coronavirus and marching on the road to spread awareness about the consequences if the disease spreads among the community.

Painted themselves like novel coronavirus, the artists took to the street and started campaigning about do’s and don’ts. But, many enthusiastic people joined the campaign and started walking behind the artists. The campaign programme immediately turned into a ‘small rally’ which proceeded along the road in the Santipur market.

“They even did not maintain the physical distance among themselves while they were campaigning before the people asking them to stay inside their homes and maintain always physical or social distances. Unfortunately, many of them even did not wear masks while they asked the common people to wear masks when they will come out from their houses to purchase essential commodities”, alleged Rathin Pal, a resident of Santipur.

When asked, Ajay Dey, chairman of the Santipur municipality said, “It was not a rally. We asked some Bahurupi artists to conduct a campaign programme to make people aware about the novel coronavirus. When they were conducting such a campaign programme some enthusiastic people may have joined them. This apart, nothing happened. As some people attracted by the artists came close to them, there was a gathering for some time. But, they were later separated”.

“We are now going through a rough time. The Central government has clearly mentioned asking people not to go out from their houses unnecessarily and maintain social distance. At this moment, this type of propaganda need not be performed in the locality. As a result, no one can be assured that there were no asymptomatic people who came close with common people”, alleged Subrata Sur, a BJP leader in the locality.    

Sur also said that he would lodge a complaint with his party’s MP Jagannath Sarkar against the Santipur civic body chairman. “I will also send a letter to the Central team visiting the state now about the incident”, Sur added.

Covid-19 suspect gives birth, nursing home sealed in East Midnapore

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 22 APRIL: A private nursing home at Contai in East Midnapore has been sealed over the suspicion that a woman, who gave birth to a baby, might have been infected by a novel coronavirus.

The district health department authorities have asked all the doctors, nurses and health staff attached to the nursing home to go into home quarantine for observation. Other patients admitted in the nursing home have been shifted to other health institutions, a senior district health official said.

The health official also said that they have asked the family members of the patient to stay themselves in home quarantine for the next fourteen days as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the dreaded virus in the locality.

According to a nursing home authority, the woman was admitted in the nursing home with labour pain recently. She gave birth to a male baby on Sunday. But, her condition started deteriorating as she was suffering from fever and breathing disorder. The doctors who were examining the patient suspected that she might have the novel coronavirus. They immediately informed the matter to the district health authority who immediately sent the patient to an isolation center and sealed off the nursing home.

Last Saturday, the woman had been admitted in the Contai sub-divisional hospital with fever and breathing problem. The hospital doctors after examining the patient suspected her of suffering from novel coronavirus and referred her to NRS hospital in Kolkata. 

But hiding this, the patient's family admitted her to the nursing home in Contai where she gave birth to a baby on Sunday, said Dr Sabyasachi Chakraborty, superintendent of Contai sub-divisional hospital adding that swab sample of the woman has been sent to the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) for test.

The incident comes at a time when the state government has made it clear that the state’s sensitive zones, which have seen the highest number of Covid-19 cases, will see stricter norms and urged people to follow them.

East Midnapore district has been identified as a high risk zone and a fresh positive case was reported on 19 April.. This apart, Egra and Haldia have been regarded as the most sensitive zones. Most of the positive cases were reported from these two areas. Though no positive case has been reported from Contai yet, local residents are worried about the possible spread of the virus.

Courtesy: Image from Outlook India.

Farmer's family saddled with 28 funeral guests for nearly a month

Biswabrata Goswami 

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 20 APRIL: “Now is not a good time to die”, said Subrata Sardar, who has come to join a funeral ceremony on 19 March at his in-law’s house at Komthana, Sardarpara under Palashipara police station area in Nadia, but he could not return back to house at Gangnapur due to consecutive ‘curfews’ – Janata curfew and lockdowns.

Like him, another 27 persons including a few children have come to the house of one Atul Bhowmik’s house from different areas of the district to join the funeral ceremony where an 85-year-old woman –Sundari Bhowmik died due to old-age ailments.

The consecutive Janata curfew, 21-day lockdown and another two weeks lockdown up to 3 May have become one of the most unforgettable events in Atul Bhowmik’s life. “It’s really challenging for a poor farmer’s family to bear the daily foods and essential items for 28 guests for over a month. It’s grief upon grief. The harsh reality is that no one from administration or panchayat has come forward to help us”, said Bhowmik.

“We are three brothers. So, my two brothers are accommodating rooms and providing food for our guests. But, it is becoming excruciating to us to bear the burden”, Bhowmik added.

This apart, the bereaved family members have arranged accommodation of their guests to their relatives’ houses in the village and many of them are staying there for the last 20 days. However, things are not smooth there either. For, here too, families are struggling hard to keep the guests in their houses.

When asked, Subrata also pointed, “What makes it even harder to live is the hint of hostility and suspicion with which the locals regard us.”

“We approached the local Trinamul Congress panchayat pradhan to extend help to us, but he denied doing anything for us”, said Bhowmik.

When contacted, Subrata appealed, “Please, sir, do something for us so that we can return to our houses as quickly as possible”.

Informed about the situation, a team of Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) activists headed by Moutuli Nagsarkar submitted a deputation before the SDO, Sadar, urging him to make arrangements so that these stranded people can reach their houses as early as possible.

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Charatala village in Nadia declared as containment zone

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 19 APRIL: Charatal village, a minority dominated area in Chapra block in Nadia, where an ex-BSF jawan was tested positive for Covid-19, has been declared as a containment zone by the district administration today.

The district administration had already sealed off the village hours after the test report of the ex-jawan was found positive a few days ago. In addition to this, four armed police personnel have been posted round the clock at two ends of the barricade put up on the street. Close circuit cameras have been installed along the main road and 12 civic volunteers and Asha workers have been deployed in the area for communication with the residents.

The administration will provide essential items to people residing in the zone. No one will be allowed to enter or exit from this zone. A door to door health checkup of around 200 families will be carried out to ascertain whether any infected person is residing in the area.

Confirming it, Vibhu Goel, district magistrate said, “As per government guidelines, we have taken action so that no further case is reported from this area. We have announced the area as a containment zone and to check the spread of the dreaded virus, we have started implementing the guidelines”.

Mr Goel also said, “We are also implementing guidelines meant for the containment zone at Burnia in Tehatta where five persons including three minors were tested positive. Though, these people were later found to be tested negative and they were released from the hospital, but we don’t want to leave any stone to check the spread of the dreaded virus in the locality. If required, more areas across the district will be declared as containment zones to breach the chain of the virus”.

Today, an official team including district magistrate and superintendent of police visited Charatala and faced resistance from women and senior citizens. They claimed that their area has been sealed off for the last few days while no food grains or essential things have been supplied by the administration.

“I have had no business for the past one month. My husband who works as a washer man in a private hospital too is idle now. We do not have resources to buy provisions for the entire month at once, and I am embarrassed to call every time I need small amounts of groceries and vegetables costing Rs 20 to Rs 30,” Amina Bibi says.

“Due to lockdown, most of the residents are facing difficult situations. Furthermore, as the village has been declared as a containment zone, it will be very tough for the residents to collect food and essential things if the administration is not providing these to us”, said Manirul Sheikh.

“There is no need to hesitate. We will provide anything the residents need. They just have to say it. Initially, we faced a little resistance but the problem has been solved,” said Mr Goel.

The state government has recently issued guidelines on definition and procedures to be followed in the containment zone besides listing out the roles and responsibilities of various departments to contain the further spread of the Covid-19 across the state.

As per the new guidelines issued by the state government, the area around the house of the Covid-19 patient can be declared as a ‘Containment Zone’ and stringent measures will be put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The activities include banning the movement of people, delivery of all essentials to the doorstep of citizens. The area will continue to remain as a containment zone until no COVID-19 positive case is reported for the next 28-days from the same area.