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DRDO hospitals, ramping up drug production: Centre steps in to help state govts battle covid

OpIndia Staff
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DRDO hospitals, ramping up drug production: Centre steps in to help state govts battle covid

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur had recently said that the number of daily new infections was likely to peak around April for this ongoing second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. The coronavirus cases are already off the charts as India recorded more than 2 lakh new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours on Wednesday.

In view of this several Central agencies and ministries have stepped in to flatten the curve.

DRDO to set up Covid hospital in Delhi

Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) will be reestablishing a Covid-19 hospital with 500 beds equipped with ICU facilities in Delhi Cantonment. The facility will be operational by Sunday with an initial capacity of 250 beds. The centre will have doctors by both military and paramilitary forces for treating patients, as informed by DRDO officials.

Delhi has been the worst hit with 17,282 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours. With over 50,000 active cases, the positivity rate has touched 15.92% and recorded 104 new deaths.

DRDO to set up a 900 bed facility in Ahmedabad

Amidst the surge in fresh Covid-19 cases, the Gujarat government in collaboration with the DRDO is to set up a 900-bed full Covid care facility in Ahmedabad. The hospital will have 150 ICU beds with 150 ventilators and will open within 15 days at the Gujarat University Convention Centre on the GMDC ground, Ahmedabad.

If necessary, 500 beds will be added later after assessing the situation. The facility will have a help desk as well as food facilities for patients, doctors, and paramedics and access to toilets and bathrooms for both the patients and the medical staff.

Approval to ramp up manufacturing of Remdesivir

To tackle the shortage of anti-viral drug Remdesivir in the wake of growing numbers in new cases, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya gave the approval to ramp up the production of the drug. Fast-track approval was given for seven additional sites to six manufacturers with a production capacity of 10 lakh vials per month. Another 30 lakh vials production per month is lined up.

The approval will ensure the production of around 78 lakh vials/month. An additional measure to ban the export of the drug will ensure enough supply for the country.

Four-day Tika Utsav

The four-day-long vaccination program ‘Tika Utsav‘ started with much fanfare and extensive promotions by the Central government with the aim to encourage people above 45 years of age to get vaccinated at the earliest. The initiative was fairly successful with over 40 lakh doses administered just on the last day of Utsav.

The Tika Utsav was a big boost to India’s vaccination drive as India has now administered over 11 crore vaccine doses in just over 85 days.

Govt fast tracks emergency approvals for foreign vaccines

The Central Government on Tuesday expedited the process of emergency approvals for foreign-produced Covid-19 vaccines that have received Emergency Use Approval (EUA) in other countries in order to boost the vaccination coverage in the country.

Russia’s Sputnik-V vaccine also received emergency use approval from the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and now it awaits the final approval from the Drugs Controller General of India. The vaccine is likely to be imported to India by the next month, as per reports, apart from local productions by Dr Reddy’s laboratories.

‘Idols of Krishna Janmbhoomi lie buried beneath Agra’s Jama Masjid’, PIL filed in Mathura court seeking ground radiology survey by ASI

OpIndia Staff
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‘Idols of Krishna Janmbhoomi lie buried beneath Agra’s Jama Masjid’, PIL filed in Mathura court seeking ground radiology survey by ASI

Days after a Mathura court admitted a plea to remove Shahi Idgah Mosque from Krishna Janmbhoomi, a PIL has been filed claiming that the idols of the Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi temple in Mathura have been lying buried beneath Jahanara mosque in Agra, popularly known as Jama Masjid.

The PIL has been filed by one advocate Shailendra Singh, based on an assertion that Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, after razing down the Mathura Jamansthan temple, had taken the Lord Krishna idols from Mathura to Agra to bury them under Jama Masjid.

Advocate Shailendra Singh, who has filed the PIL on behalf of 5 petitioners from Lucknow, therefore, requested the court to grant permission for a ground radiology test by ASI at Agra’s Jama Masjid, to ascertain if Lord Krishna’s idols are buried beneath it.

Quoting from ‘Anecdotes of Aurangzeb And Historical Essays By Jadunath Sarkar, Published By M. C. Sarkar & Sons. 902-a Harrison Road, Calcutta 1917. at Page 11-12’ the PIL stated: “The grandest shrine of Mathura, Kesav Rai’s temple, built at a cost of 33 lakhs of rupees by the Bundela Rajah Birsingh Dev, was razed to the ground in January 1670, and a mosque built on its site. The idols were brought to Agra and buried under the steps of Jahanara’s mosque that they might be constantly trodden on by the Muslims going in to pray.”

Mathura court admits plea to remove Shahi Idgah Mosque from Krishna Janmbhoomi 

On February 6, a district court in Uttar Pradesh accepted a petition to remove the Shahi Idgah Mosque of Mathura that was built by Aurangzeb by encroaching land of Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi in Mathura. The court issued a notice to all parties, including Shahi Idgah Mosque Management Committee, to submit their views. 

Court grants permission for an archaeological survey of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex

This PIL claiming that the idols of the Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi temple in Mathura have been lying buried beneath Jama Masjid, has been filed a week after the Varanasi district court granted permission for an archaeological survey of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex.

This particular petition was filed by a local lawyer VS Rastogi who had demanded the restoration of the land, entailing Gyanvapi Mosque, to Hindus. The petition was opposed by the Gyanvyapi Mosque management committee, however, the court did grant permission for the ASI survey of the mosque.

Chhattisgarh: Health workers ferry dead bodies in garbage trucks to cremation grounds amidst Covid-19 pandemic

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Health workers ferry dead bodies in garbage trucks to cremation grounds amidst Covid-19 pandemic

Chhattisgarh is currently the second most affected state by the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in terms of active cases. The seriousness of the situation can be determined by a video that went viral recently in which health workers were seen transporting dead bodies to cremation grounds in garbage trucks. There was allegedly a shortage of ambulances or hearse vans in the state.

Video by ANI

In the video, some PPE-clad health workers could be seen dumping bodies of Covid-19 victims in the back of a garbage truck. The bodies were reportedly being transported to a cremation ground in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh. Chief Medical Health Officer of the state reportedly said, “Arranging the vehicle is the responsibility of the Nagar Panchayat and the CMO.”

Chhatisgarh price list for treatment and dead bodies

According to a recent order of the Congress govt in the state, the family members of any person who dies of COVID-19 will have to pay Rs. 2,500 in order to secure the “storage” and the “carriage” of the body. The state government has also capped the fees to be charged by private hospitals after repeated complaints.

The health department fixed a fee of Rs. 12,000 per day for the treatment of patients in critical condition in private hospitals. This includes an ICU facility without a ventilator. A rate of 17,000 rupees per day was fixed for the treatment of very serious COVID-19 patients. This includes the ICU facility with a ventilator.

A fee of Rs 6200, Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 14,000 has been fixed for the treatment of moderate, severe, and very serious patients in private hospitals not recognized by the government. This decision is considered to be a relief move amidst an increasing number of patients suffering from COVID-19. The state also announced that the families of deceased COVID-19 patients will now have to pay Rs.2,500 for “storage” and “carriage” of the bodies.

Covid-19 situation in Chhattisgarh

On April 14, the state recorded 14,250 new Covid-19 cases. 120 people lost their lives in a single day, and there are 1,18,636 active cases in the state. In total, the state has recorded 4,86,244 Covid-19 cases, out of which 3,62,301 recovered and 5,307 died. Though the state is currently in the second position in terms of active cases, it has performed only 63.6 lakh tests so far, putting it at 16th position in a number of tests. In terms of vaccine shots, the state has administered 46.3 lakh doses so far, putting it at 10th position.

French Embassy asks its citizens, companies to leave Pakistan following violent anti-France protests over Prophet cartoons

OpIndia Staff
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French Embassy asks its citizens, companies to leave Pakistan following violent anti-France protests over Prophet cartoons

Today, the French embassy in Pakistan advised all French citizens and companies in the country to temporarily leave Pakistan which is staring at a violent civil war. This move comes in the wake of violent anti-France Islamist protests led by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) affecting several parts of the country.

“Due to the serious threats to French interests in Pakistan, French nationals and French companies are advised to temporarily leave the country,” the embassy wrote in an email to French citizens.

“The departures will be carried out by existing commercial airlines,” the embassy added.

In a statement to the Pakistani publication Dawn, the French embassy’s press attaché Veronique Wagner said, “we can confirm that we have sent a precautionary note to all our citizens in Pakistan advising them to temporarily leave the country if possible due to the recent protests that have caused graver security threats and put its citizens at risk.”

Anti-French sentiment has been on the rise in Pakistan ever since French President Emmanuel Macron’s defense of Free Speech and Expression after 45-year old Samuel Paty’s barbaric Islamist beheading in October last year. President Macron had defended the right of magazines to publish caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, a move which earned him the ire of Muslims around the world, especially in Pakistan.

Just yesterday, the Pakistani Government made the decision to ban TLP, the belligerent Islamist group which is behind the violent protests in Pakistan, and has demanded the expulsion of the French ambassador in Pakistan.

On Monday, the leader of TLP, Saad Rizvi was detained, seemingly ahead of his April 20th deadline for the Pakistan government to meet the demands put forth by TLP. This detention was the catalyst behind the three days of violent protests in Pakistan which have left two policemen dead, with over 370 injured.

The TLP has a notorious history of unleashing Islamist violence and holding days-long zealous Islamist protests in defense of Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law, which has in fact led to the persecution of minorities in Pakistan.

However, successive governments in Pakistan have largely ignored this looming specter of extremist Islamist violence, fearing that any major confrontation with these hardline Islamist groups will trigger a reprisal all across Pakistan in the form of thousands of Islamists coming out into in the streets, potentially leading to more violence.

“We are in favour of protecting the Prophet’s honour, but the demand which they are seeking could have portrayed Pakistan as a radical nation worldwide,” said Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in a news conference yesterday.

On Twitter, the hashtag #FrenchLeavePakistan was trended on Thursday, amassing over 42,000 tweets at the time of publication.

In September 2020, weeks after Charlie Hebdo re-published its Prophet Muhammad caricatures, its former offices in Paris were attacked by a Pakistani man who stabbed two people.

On verge of a major civil conflict?

Over the past three days, at least half a dozen people including police officials have been killed and scores of people injured after violent Islamist protests broke out in different parts of Pakistan against the detention of TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi.

As per reports, the arrest of Saad Hussain Rizvi came in the backdrop of TLP’s ultimatum to the Imran Khan government to fulfill its four demands before the deadline of April 20. The demands were originally made in November last year, following the beheading of 46-year-old Samuel Paty by a teenage Jihadi terrorist in France and the subsequent criticism of Islamists by French President Emmanuel Macron. TLP also took offense to the display of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad in public in one city in France.

Several videos depicting violent barbarism have emerged from Pakistan over the past three days, offering the world an insight into the brutality of the TLP Islamists.

No hospital beds, healthcare system on the brink of collapse: Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra worsens

Jhankar Mohta
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No hospital beds, healthcare system on the brink of collapse: Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra worsens

After experiencing a steady downtrend, India is currently witnessing the second wave of COVID-19 infections. Many states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu have been recording a rising number of coronavirus cases, but the resurgence of the infection in the state of Maharashtra is most fierce and worrisome. If we have a cursory look at the daily figures of the number of positive cases, Maharashtra is alarmingly reporting the highest number of cases across the country.

With the sudden and steep surge in the number of cases, the medical infrastructure in the state seems to have collapsed. Many incidents that have been reported in the recent past proves that though it’s been more than a year since the country has been grappling with the COVID-19 outbreak, Maharashtra’s healthcare system is still not equipped to handle the scourge of the virus.

‘Give bed or kill him’, Covid-19 patient’s son pleads in Maharashtra

Recently, a heart-wrenching video surfaced on the internet in which a man from Maharashtra’s Chandrapur was seen pleading for a hospital bed for his ailing father grappling with lethal coronavirus infection.

“Give him a hospital bed, or just kill him with an injection,” said Sagar Kishore Naharshetivar who has been on the move since Tuesday afternoon in search for a hospital bed for his father.

Son of an ailing COVID-19 positive man pleads to govt to provide a bed or kill his father

Naharshetivar said that he made several rounds of hospitals in both Maharashtra and Telangana in a time span of 24 hours but all in vain. “Unable to find a bed in Maharashtra, I took my father to Telangana at around 1:30 am in the night and reached there by 3 am, however, there were no beds there either. We again brought him back to Maharashtra in the morning and have been waiting outside the hospital for a bed.

“The oxygen available in my father’s ambulance is also running out. “Either you make a bed available for him or kill him with an injection. I cannot take him home like this and you have no beds available,” he said, pointing towards his ailing father.

Man dies in car while family ferries him from one hospital to another in search of bed

In another video surfaced on social media, a severely ill man is said to have died in the car itself while his family ferried him from one hospital to another in search of a hospital bed. The deceased had other ailments but couldn’t find a bed as all have been used for Covid-19 patients.

Woman COVID-19 patient waits with oxygen cylinder in an autorickshaw

With the COVID-19 situation worsening in Maharashtra, more and more such incidents have been coming to the fore from the state. Some more shocking visuals appeared on various social media platforms where a woman COVID-19 patient in Satara district, Maharashtra, is seen waiting in an autorickshaw with an oxygen cylinder hooked on to her to enable breathing.

Unable to find a bed, woman patient waits in autorickshaw in Satara

Covid patients being administered oxygen in chairs at Maharashtra hospital 

In a similar horror story, COVID-19 patients at Osmanabad district hospital in Maharashtra were given oxygen on their chairs as the hospital appeared to have run out of beds. The video of the incident went viral on social media. The patients were reportedly made to sit on chairs as nurses and doctors could be seen helping the patients. 

Nagpur doctors protest against shortage of medical resources, blame state govt apathy

Speaking about the collapsing health care facilities in the state, a resident doctor of the city-based Government Medical College and Hospital Nagpur, Sajal Bansal, said that they held a protest on Sunday against the government and the district administration over the shortage of medical resources to treat coronavirus patients. 

A resident doctor of GMCH Nagpur, Sajal Bansal, speaks on the protest held against govt and administration over the shortage of medical resources

“The protest is not inspired by any association, it is solely for the patients who are suffering and their caregivers,” Bansal said.

He complained that since the first wave of the disease hit the country last year, the state administration has done little to improvise the medical infrastructure in the state.

“We are protesting against the government and the district administration over their lack of preparations concerning the rising cases of COVID-19 amid the second wave of the disease in the country, which includes a shortage of beds, ventilators, oxygen, Remdesivir in private hospitals which are leading to a rise in the casualties in the district. Our helplessness to help the patients has forced us to hold this protest,” the resident doctor rued. 

Speaking about the worsening situation in Nagpur, Bansal said that the burden of the entire population in the city has come upon Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). These two hospitals are operating 820 beds and all resident doctors have been working day in and day out, still are not being able to cope with the surging cases.

“Since the past one month, the situation is getting worse which has forced us to stop the intake of new patients. The shortage of medical resources is also hampering the delivery of healthcare to the general (non-COVID) patients which is not acceptable. We are a government institution and the general public, especially marginalised groups look up to us for treatment and denying them that is unjust. We demand a permanent solution from the district administration for this crisis,” said Bansal.

As Maharashtra runs out of beds and oxygen, state minister pins the blame on celebrities

Maharashtra has been grappling with the second wave of the Coronavirus infection, which has wreaked havoc, particularly in the state, contributing the highest to the daily caseload. Owing to this, hospitals beds are running out and the supplies of medical oxygen in the state have been depleting.

Interestingly, while Maharashtra runs out of hospital beds and medical oxygen, state minister Aslam Shaikh on Tuesday blamed the celebrities and cricketers for the shortage of beds at the hospitals, saying they are occupying beds in hospitals despite having no serious symptoms of coronavirus infection. He added that if the celebs and cricketers had avoided getting admitted to hospitals, the state could have accommodated the needy Covid-19 patients.

As Kejriwal govt announces ‘weekend curfew’ to curb pandemic, netizens resort to self deprecating humour as coping mechanism

OpIndia Staff
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As Kejriwal govt announces ‘weekend curfew’ to curb pandemic, netizens resort to self deprecating humour as coping mechanism

A year after the Chinese coronavirus pandemic started, Delhi is now gripped into the fourth and massive wave of infections. On Thursday, as situation appeared to be getting way out of hand, Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government has announced ‘weekend curfew’ in the national capital. Subsequently, netizens have unleashed a flood of self-deprecating jokes as coping mechanism as the country struggles with the pandemic.

Mall are amongst the places that will remain shut over the weekends. However, since most cinema halls are also located inside malls, netizens wondered how will letting cinema halls work at 30% capacity work out.

People had a lot of questions on how will they come for movie amid the curfew where non-essential travels are prohibited.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has a penchant for films and has time and again given movie reviews on Twitter. However, since the pandemic, he has not been able to do so.

Netizens also pointed out how he might be missing his old hobby.

Many were also upset how they have been fooled by the promises made by AAP government.

Many even alleged that the govt may be getting money for keeping some businesses running while in ‘curfew’.

Delhi is the second state after Maharashtra to impose ‘curfew’ in a bid to curb Chinese coronavirus that has gone unhinged in past few weeks. Now the Centre has stepped in to reactivate the DRDO established COVID-19 facilities in national capital to help cope with the overburdened healthcare system.

Delhi currently has over 50,000 active cases in the state. Curfew passes to be issued to those rendering essential services. Malls, gyms, spas and auditoriums to be closed for the weekend. Cinemas halls to operate at 30% capacity only. People will not be allowed to dine-in restaurants, only home deliveries permitted

“Ministry of Remdesivir”: Netizens put on their funny hat as ThePrint ‘journalist’ ends up mocking herself

OpIndia Staff
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“Ministry of Remdesivir”: Netizens put on their funny hat as ThePrint ‘journalist’ ends up mocking herself

After a diligent attempt at deciphering Mamata Banerjee’s art, netizens are now having a hard time making sense of a tweet posted by The Print’s journalist- Jyoti Malhotra.

The ‘senior’ journalist who is always ‘wanting to know why’ as per her Twitter bio, is now trying to find an answer- why Remdesivir (a drug to treat Covid-19) is under the Chemical & Fertilizer ministry.

Her query came as a response to a tweet regarding a press release by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers informing about the approval to step up the production of Remdesivir in the country.

Here’s the rather funny exchange of messages where The Print journalist can be seen asking all her what’s and why’s.

This exchange left the netizens scratching their heads and ultimately led to a laughing riot. Here are some of the creative replies.

A Twitter user mocked the journalist’s response saying, “We’ll have a separate ‘ministry of drugs’ when Rahul Gandhi comes to power,” taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi’s insistence to have Ministry of Fisheries when one already exists.

Replying to the tweet where Jyoti asks in bewilderment how a drug can be classified as a chemical, the user said, “It got classified as a chemical in 2014. Before that we had a Ministry of Remdesivir.”

A Twitter user by the name Yogi, recommended this as a topic to be taken up by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his next speech.

A netizen invited Shekhar Gupta, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Print to solve the query his esteemed employee.

Here are a few more replies by the netizens, urging the journalists to get their basics right.

The journalist however humbly acknowledged her lack of knowledge and thanked the users for correcting her.

‘How can a beef eater touch Jyotirling’: MP Nishikant Dubey objects to Congress’ Irfan Ansari’s entry inside Baba Baidyanath temple

OpIndia Staff
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‘How can a beef eater touch Jyotirling’: MP Nishikant Dubey objects to Congress’ Irfan Ansari’s entry inside Baba Baidyanath temple

A controversy has erupted in Jharkhand after Congress MLA Irfan Ansari performed puja at Baba Baidyanath Dham at Deoghar. BJP MP Dr Nishikant Dubey has demanded his immediate arrest under National Security Act (NSA). Notably, voting for Madhupur by-election will take place on April 17. Ansari has been actively campaigning for the Congress candidate Hafizul Hassan.

On April 14, Dr Dubey shared a photograph of Ansari in which he was seen performing puja at the temple. Dr Dubey wrote that he was feeling guilty that while he is MP from the region, Ansari tried to touch and defile the Jyotirlinga on the pretext of puja. He further added that at Macca, the entry of non-Muslims is prohibited. Similarly, in the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) of a Hindu temple, the entry of beef eaters is prohibited.

Replying to his allegations, Ansari claimed that he had been visiting Baidyanath Dham since his childhood. Every time there was an election, he visited the temple to take the blessings of Bhagwan Shiv. “I have been blessed by Bhole Baba and I have won. Who is Nishikant Dubey to stop me from entering the temple?” Ansari added.

Ansari also shared a video in which priests were chanting prayers. Though Congress MLA claimed he had visited the temple thousands of times, he seemed to be unaware of ‘jaikara’, which is one of the common forms of chanting after performing puja in any Shiva temple.

Dr Dubey and Ansari had a twitter spat a week ago

On April 7, the duo got into a Twitter war over inaugurating the newly constructed railway station in Godda. The online spat between the two erupted after Dr Dubey shared a notification that read that the inauguration of the new railway station in Godda would be done through video-conferencing by the central government.

Congress MLA Dr Irfan Ansari responded, saying that come what may the inauguration of the Godda railway station will happen at the hands of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. He said, “Stay on the ground. This is not Bhagalpur, it is Jharkhand. People here do not tolerate making false promises.”Dubey shot back and said that they will inaugurate the station from the ground while Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren will do it from the air.

Delhi High Court rejects bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan, who open fired at police personnel during anti-Hindu Delhi riots

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi High Court rejects bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan, who open fired at police personnel during anti-Hindu Delhi riots

The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed the bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan, who had opened fire at police personnel during the anti-CAA Delhi riots violence in February 2020.

Pathan was seen brandishing and firing from a pistol during the anti-CAA violence that gripped Delhi.

The order reveals that the video clips played in the Court by the Special Public Prosecutor played in the Court as well as a few photographs produced clearly show Shahrukh Pathan heading towards the mob, with a pistol in his hand. Pathan can also be seen firing the pistol shots in the video.

After listening to the argument of both sides at length, the Court remarked, “The video clipping and pictures played before this Court have shaken the conscience of this Court how petitioner could take law and order in his hands. Whether or not petitioner had intention to kill the complainant or any person present in the public with his open air pistol shots, but it is hard to believe that he had no knowledge that his act may harm anyone present at the spot.”

Denying bail to Pathan, a Single Judge Bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait stated, “The petitioner is alleged to have participated in riots and his picture speaks a volume about his involvement. Keeping in mind the gravity of offence committed by the petitioner as also the facts of the present case, I am not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner.”

Shahrukh Pathan had sought bail from Delhi High Court on the grounds that he was ‘made a scapegoat/ poster boy of the riots’ and that he had no intention to kill any person during the riots.

A chargesheet in the matter has already been filed before the trial court.

Tension in Aurangabad following death of salon owner Feroz Khan after he was hit by cops for keeping shop open violating Covid-19 norms

OpIndia Staff
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Tension in Aurangabad following death of salon owner Feroz Khan after he was hit by cops for keeping shop open violating Covid-19 norms

A salon owner named Feroz Khan in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad died after being allegedly assaulted by two police officers for not following COVID-19 guidelines. The death of the 50-year-old, allegedly in the hands of the police officers, triggered tension in the area.

Khan’s outraged relatives along with other people gathered in large numbers with the dead body of the deceased at Osmanpura police station, demanding action against the cops. This has compelled the Aurangabad police commissioner to order the transfer of the two officers in question and order an impartial probe into the incident.

Aurangabad salon owner Feroz Khan hit for not following COVID-19 guidelines

In what transpired, Feroz Khan kept his salon open in violation with the COVID-19 restrictions out in place amid the rising cases in Maharashtra. According to Khan’s relatives and staffs, sub-inspector Pravin Wagh and constable Sandeep Bharme assaulted him over the alleged violation. 

During the ruckus, the salon owner fell on the shutter of the salon and lost consciousness. He was rushed to a government hospital, where the doctors declared him brought dead.

Khan’s relatives brought his body to the Osmanpura police station and demanded registration of a murder case against the two policemen. As the news of the incident spread, more people from different parts of the city started accumulating outside Osmanpura police station demanding action against the cops. They demanded that the officers be charged with murder and terminated for service.

The salon owner’s relatives and staff claimed that when the two policemen saw the salon open, they called Khan out. After that, they began assaulting Khan for not adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines. The people said that the entire incident was caught on the CCTV camera installed at the salon as well as the neighbouring shops.

“During the brawl, Feroz Khan fell on his shop’s shutter and sustained a head injury. He was dashed to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he was declared brought dead”, informed one of the deceased’s family members.

As the news of the incident spread, Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel and police commissioner Nikhil Gupta reached Osmanpura police station and pacified the enraged mob. Taking cognisance of the incident, Nikhil Gupta immediately transferred the two officers to the control room. Gupta assured inquiry into the death of the salon owner and ordered crime branch inspector Avinash Aghav to carry out an impartial probe of the case.

Maharastra imposes curfew-like restrictions to control the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state

Maharashtra has been grappling with the rising coronavirus cases in the state. To deal with the second wave of the infection, which has wreaked havoc particularly in the state of Maharashtra, contributing the highest to the daily caseload, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Tuesday announced curfew-like restrictions on the movement of people in the state.

Thackeray, in his virtual address to the public, announced new prohibitory orders under Section 144 in the state from 8 pm on April 14 which will remain in force until May 1.

All establishments, public spaces, activities and services will remain closed. Only essential services will remain open between 7 am and 8 pm on working days. Restaurants can operate but only for deliveries. Shooting for films, serials and advertisements will remain closed, and only 25 people will be allowed at marriages.

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