10 security men, 5 of family, Gynecologist among 53 positive
DC orders inquiry, Board of docs to conduct autopsy
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 18: Two nephews of a COVID victim died at Sidhra Tawi cremation ground during last rites of the Corona positive case after falling unconscious while the victim’s son, who also nearly collapsed, survived on reaching the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu. The Corona victim, who hailed from Bohri, Talab Tillo and had died in the GMC Jammu last night within hours of his hospitalization after testing positive, was later cremated by the civil and police administration.
Meanwhile, 53 persons including 10 security personnel, a female Gynecologist posted at Government Medical College (GMC) Kathua, five members of a family in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district and two brothers of Rajouri district today tested positive for COVID-19. Of 10 security men, five including four Army soldiers and one SSB jawan tested positive in Samba district, four others including one each belonging to Army, BSF, IRP and JKP reported positive in Udhampur district while a constable of JKAP reported positive in Reasi district.
The 65-year-old Corona positive patient from Bohri, Talab Tillo in Jammu had passed away in the GMC Jammu last night in critical condition within hours of his hospitalization after he along with his son were tested positive. His son was stable and admitted in the Chest Diseases Hospital. The victim’s 64-year-old wife also tested positive for COVID-19 tonight and was shifted from quarantine centre and admitted in the same hospital where her son is already under treatment.
Chest Diseases Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Rajeshwar Sharma said both mother and son are in stable condition though they are mild symptomatic.
As per the protocol, body of the victim along with his elder son and four close relatives, was sent for cremation at Sidhra cremation ground on the banks of river Tawi after being packed in the GMC Jammu, the officials said, adding that the family members were provided PPE kits.
At around 12.30 pm soon after the body reached the cremation ground, three persons including elder son and two nephews of the COVID victim fell unconscious for the reasons not confirmed so far by the doctors but hot weather could be one of the reasons. Further, according to police, all of them appeared tense on arrival at the cremation ground and straightway went towards river Tawi and threw water on them.
Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Nagrota Mohan Lal Sharma, who was present on the spot, told the Excelsior that one of the nephews and son of the COVID victim fell unconscious about meters away from the funeral pyre while another nephew of the dead was later spotted lying on banks of the Tawi river.
Three persons were taken to the GMC Jammu in the ambulance and later second ambulance was called which got stuck in the sand. Later, third ambulance reached the spot. Two nephews of the COVID victim were virtually dead on the spot. However, the victim’s son, Vaibhav Zadoo, regained consciousness at the GMC Jammu and responded to the treatment.
GMC Medical Superintendent Dr Dara Singh told the Excelsior that two persons were brought dead in the GMC Jammu from Sidhra cremation ground and COVID test was conducted on them but reports are awaited. Bodies have been sent for post-mortem, he said.
The dead have been identified as Vipan Zadoo, around 30, son of Mohan Lal Zadoo and Vimal Zadoo, around 43, son of Kanhaiya Lal Zadoo, both residents of Lane No. 7, Gangyal, Jammu.
The SDPO Nagrota said the COVID victim was cremated by civil and police administration around 4.30 pm as out of five persons who had accompanied the body, two died and one fell unconscious while two others accompanied the dead and unconscious to the GMC Jammu.
Sharma said all three on their arrival at cremation ground were feeling uneasiness. However, he added, reasons behind the two deaths can be revealed by the doctors only after post-mortem. All five were wearing PPE kits.
Sources said dehydration was suspected to be one of the reasons behind the twin deaths as relatives of the COVID victim had to travel some distance near the cremation ground.
One of the relatives of the victim also blamed the administration for not providing the family members accompanying the body with water bottles when asked for.
Another COVID patient hailing from village Kot Ghari in Akhnoor tehsil, who too had died yesterday, was cremated at village Kot Maira on the banks of river Chenab this morning, SDPO Akhnoor Ajay Sharma said, adding the cremation was held peacefully.
Village Kot Garhi has been contained, Sharma said.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Jammu Sushma Chauhan has ordered an inquiry into the death of two persons accompanying the body for last rites.
In an order issued late this evening, Chauhan ordered that Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order) will conduct a detailed inquiry to ascertain circumstances leading to deaths of two persons. He directed for constitution of a special Board of Doctors to conduct autopsy of the dead bodies and COVID test. The ADM will submit report by June 22, she said.
Meanwhile, a female Gynecologist posted in the Government Medical College (GMC) Kathua, who hailed from Sainik Colony in Jammu, has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted in the Gandhi Nagar hospital.
Sixteen persons including five members of a family from Katwalt, Ramnagar and four security personnel today tested Corona positive in Udhampur district, Deputy Commissioner Dr Piyush Singla said.
Of four security personnel tested positive in Udhampur district—one each belonged to Army, BSF, IRP and JKP. The JKP positive is a female police constable.
Five positive family members include a 26-year-old woman and his two sons, one aged 3 years and another one month. Two others were a 40-year-old man and his 11-year-old daughter, all residents of Katwalt village in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district.
Other positives from Udhampur included a 30-year-old pregnant woman from Omara, a woman from Shiv Nagar and two inhabitants of village Pathi.
District Magistrate Kathua OP Bhagat said 12 persons today tested positive for Coronavirus in the district.
Of them, five belonged to Basohli and seven to Hiranagar and Kathua and all of them were under administrative quarantine at different centres. They have been shifted from the quarantine centres to COVID Hospitals.
All of them are asymptomatic and in stable condition, Bhagat said, adding they were travelers and had returned from different parts of the country to the district on way to their homes but were kept in administrative quarantine.
Eight persons including four Army personnel, one SSB jawan and three civilians tested positive for Coronavirus in Samba district, SSP Samba Shakti Pathak said.
Four positive Army soldiers belonged to 92 Infantry Brigade headquartered at Bari Brahamna and include two Subedars, one Naib Subedar and a Havaldar. All of them had returned from leave. An SSB jawan of Birpur, Samba, who had come home on leave from New Delhi, has also tested positive for the virus.
Three civilian positives of Samba district include a 48-year-old man from Odha, Ghagwal with travel history of Mumbai, a 40-year-old woman from Rehlan, who had returned from New Delhi and a youth from Sangwal, who had come back from Shopian district of Kashmir.
Three persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Poonch and two in Rajouri districts.
Three positives of Poonch include 26-year-old youth from Kasblari Mendhar with travel history of Mumbai, 43-year-old man from Dhara Dullian in Poonch, who had returned from New Delhi and 47-year-old man from Ward No. 13, Sheesh Mahal, Poonch, who had come back from Uttar Pradesh.
SSP Poonch Ramesh Angral said all three COVID positive cases have been shifted from the quarantine centres to COVID hospitals.
Two positives of Rajouri were brothers aged 30 and 31 hailing from village Kura Tundla in Kalakote tehsil, SSP Rajouri Chandan Kohli said.
Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts didn’t report any COVID positive case today, the officials said.
A JKAP constable from Ganderbal, Kashmir, who was under training at STC Talwara, has tested positive in Reasi district. He was already under administrative quarantine.
Meanwhile, Dr CL Gupta’s private clinic has been contained at Gandhi Nagar as one of the Corona positive patient in Rajouri had visited the clinic on June 12.
As per official figures, Jammu region now has 1283 Corona positive cases. Of them, 641 were active cases. There have been 633 recoveries and nine deaths.
Meanwhile, 72 Corona patients in the region were today treated and discharged from different COVID Hospitals.
They included 32 in Ramban, 12 in Kathua, nine Doda, seven each in Reasi and Jammu and five in Samba.
After spurt in cases during past over one week, the Union Territory of Ladakh today didn’t report even a single Corona positive case. Tally of the UT stayed at 687. Of them, 591 were active cases.
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