3-MEMBER TEAM TO FIND MISSING 72-YEAR-OLD COVID PATIENT

THANE: After a 72-year-old Covid-19 patient from Kalwa was reported missing from Thane’s Covid hospital, Thane municipal commissioner, Dr Vipin Sharma on Tuesday set up a three-member inquiry team.

On Monday, a missing person complaint was filed at Kapurbawdi police station after relatives of a 72-year-old paralytic Covid patient could not trace him. He was admitted in Global Hub Hospital on June 29, however, no updates were shared with the family members. When the family approached the hospital on Sunday, the authorities informed that they could not find the patient.

Meanwhile, another family from Kopri whose 67-year-old relative was tested positive and admitted to Global Hub Hospital was declared dead on July 3. However, they were later informed that the deceased is alive. The family were also allowed to meet him after wearing PPE kits.

“We had completed the last rites of my father last week after a body was handed over to us. However, on Monday, the hospital informed us that my father is alive. We visited the hospital on Tuesday, wearing PPE kits and we saw that our father is alive and he was undergoing treatment,” said his 42-year-old son.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has now alleged that the body given to this family might be that of the 72-year-old Covid patient.

Niranjan Davkhare, member of legislative Council, Thane, said, “We suspect that there could have been a mix-up between these two patients, hence we have approached the Kapurbawdi police station to file a case of negligence. There are no tags given to the patient at the hospital nor does the hospital inform the relatives about the admitted patient’s condition. There needs to be transparency,” said Niranjan Davkhare, MLC, Thane.

A probe has now been initiated by the civic commissioner. “The commissioner has ordered a three-member committee under IAS Ranjit Kumar on Tuesday,” said Sandeep Malvi, deputy municipal commissioner, Thane Municipal Corporation.