Two accused in Padarayanapura case tested positive for coronavirus

Triggering a fresh wave of trouble for the state government, two of the 54 accused in Padarayanapura vandalism case, who was currently lodged at Ramanagara Jail, have tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday evening. Following the confirmation of Covid-19, the district administration immediately shifted the two accused to designate isolation facility at the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru.

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The shifting of the 54 accused from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison to Ramanagara had whipped up a political controversy a few days ago as the Ramanagara was categorized as ‘Green Zone’ as per the centre’s Covid-19 protocol. Protesting against the government’s decision a few days ago, former CM and Ramanagara MLA HD Kumaraswamy had even warned that the state government and officials will be held responsible in case of any outbreak.

According to sources in Ramanagar district administration, the 54 accused were kept in various cells with 15-20 people in each cell. Before shifting the accused to Ramanagara jail, their blood samples and throat swabs had been collected for testing. “Already we have identified the 10 other co-accused in the case and they have been quarantined,” a senior health official from Ramanagara told DH. Officials are also identifying the jail staff who were in contact with the accused for quarantining.

Before shifting the accused to Ramanagara Jail, all the accused were lodged at the Parappana Agrahara for a day. A senior prison official explained, “All of them were kept at separate isolation facility at Parappana Agrahara and were not allowed to mingle with the other inmates. However, we are identifying the staffs who were involved in shifting of these accused and they will all be quarantined as a precautionary measure.”

Speaking to DH, HD Kumaraswamy said, “I had already cautioned the state government about the possible aftermaths of lodging these accused in Ramanagara. If an outbreak happens in Ramanagara, which is already a Green Zone, the government and officials who took this decision will be held responsible. If the government does not shift the remaining accused from Ramanagara Jail, we may have to stage a massive protest in Ramanagara demanding immediate protest of these accused.” He also said that the entire jail needs to be quarantined including the cooking and house-keeping staff.

Justifying the government stand, a senior officer from the Home Department said, “Had we kept these accused in Parappana Agrahara, there were chances that it could have spread to entire jail. We needed a facility where only these accused can be lodged. Of all the jail facilities around Bengaluru, only Ramanagara had a small number of prisoners who could have been accommodated in Parappanna Agrahara. Hence we shifted all of them to Ramanagara.”