Kalyan: Around 30 inmates from Aadharwadi jail in Kalyan were tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. All the 30 inmates were shifted to Thane civil hospital for treatment. The Thane civil hospital is the Covid-19 centre for jail inmates.
Sources from the jail said that with cases rising across the state an antigen test for inmates was carried out on Friday. "We carried out an antigen test for 149 inmates on Friday. On Monday, we got a report confirming 30 of them are positive. Most of them had low symptoms including cough and normal fever so we separated them in a barrack on Friday itself. On Monday after the report, we sent them to Thane civil hospital, as they will get proper treatment including medicines and oxygen on time. As keeping in jail would not be safe and Thane civil hospital is a dedicated centre for them," said a police officer.
When contacted AS. Sadhaphule, Superintendent of Police, Kalyan Aadharwadi jail, confirmed that about 30 male inmates tested positive and said they shifted them to Thane civil hospital.
The Aadharwadi Jail at present has 1,900 inmates and an antigen test of 149 people was carried out. All the safety and precautionary measures were carried out for them. "From giving turmeric milk twice a day to following diet and immunity medicine if required. All precautions are taken for the inmates," said a jail official.
On April 16, the Free Press Journal covered a story about 198 inmates tested positive across Maharashtra jails. The data last week showed the lowest at Aadharwadi i.e one inmate was tested positive. But within a week almost 30 have been tested positive and were shifted to the hospital in an ambulance. Based on the FPJ report, the Bombay High Court took suo moto cognizance to decongest the jails.
Besides, the jail authorities on Monday started the vaccination drive and around 200 inmates were vaccinated on the first day.
