In order to improve the security at the COVID care centre in Panvel where the rape incident was reported last week, the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has formed a high-level committee, consisting of six women members who will coordinate with the municipal corporation, police and district administration, and recommend security measures required at the centre.
Sudhakar Deshmukh, municipal commissioner of PMC said that the incident was unfortunate. “Such an incident happened when all the rooms of the building are occupied with patients,” said Deshmukh.
However, he added that the civic body will increase security at the COVID care centre. “Now, men and women will be accommodated separately and access in the building where women are accommodated will be restricted,” said Deshmukh. He added that even civic staffs will have to mention entry and exit time while accessing the building where women are seeking treatment. There are four towers of which two are reserved for women patients only.
The civic chief said all civic staff is working under tremendous pressure and if anyone had sought help, they would have helped as they were there. “The police are investigating the case and we are helping at every possible way,” said Deshmukh.
According to the civic body, there is a CCTV camera outside the tower. However, there is no CCTV camera inside the building. “We are planning to install at every floor of the building to keep a vigil on every movement,” said a senior civic official from PMC.
On Thursday evening, a 25-year-old COVID-19 patient had allegedly sexually abused a woman, who was a suspected COVID-19 patient. While the accused was accommodated on the second floor, the victim was housed on the fifth floor in the same building. According to police, the accused was unemployed for almost a year and his brother was also quarantined at the same building. The woman is a housemaker and wife of an auto-rickshaw driver.
While the woman tested negative, the accused was positive. “We have shifted the man in a different room and he is under security,” said an official from Panvel Taluka police station.
Navi Mumbai update:
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has extended lockdown in 42 hotspot zones till July 31. The one-week extended lockdown ended on July 19. However, in the rest of the city, the shops will open from 9 am to 5 pm on an odd and even basis. Malls, markets, and shopping complexes are not allowed.
