SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 11: Eleven prisoners of Dhanbad divisional jail including former MLA Sanjiv Singh have tested Covid positive in a special testing conducted by the district administration today.
Dhanbad jail hospital’s medical officer Dr Alok Vishwakarma said that RT-PCR test of 555 prisoners were conducted yesterday in which 11 of them have been found positive. Samples of 154 prisoners, jail staff and security for testing have been taken today.
Following the directive of deputy commissioner (DC) Sandip Kumar, the health department conducted RT-PCR tests of jail inmates.
“After receiving the test reports, all 11 positive prisoners have been shifted to an isolation ward inside the jail premise for special care,” said Dr Alok Vishwakarma.
He further said that former MLA Sanjiv Singh was already in a separate cell. So, he is being provided treatment there.
Two times Jharia MLA Sanjiv Singh has been in jail since April 2017 in connection with murder case conspiracy of former deputy mayor and his cousin Neeraj Singh.
Jail doctor also said that five inmates, who had been isolated five days ago after a cold, cough and mild fever complaint, have tested negative in the screening and have been sent in quarantine inside the jail for five more days.
“There is no panic like situation among the inmates after 11 of them were found as positive. All of them have been directed to follow the guidelines and immediately inform if someone feels any type of complication,” said Dr Vishwkarma.
Official sources said after positive test reports of prisoners, Dhanbad SDM Prem Kumar Tiwari and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Manoj Swargiyar reached the jail and assessed the treatment facilities for positive inmates.
