UP: BJP Nagarpalika chairman demands quashing of FIR against cancer patient in Hathras

Agra : A day after Hathras administration in UP booked a Covid positive cancer patient and his son on charges of hiding the former’s medical status from health officials, BJP Nagarpalika chairman on Wednesday demanded quashing of the FIR.
Talking to TOI, Nagarpalika Chairman, Ashish Sharma said, “It is absolutely wrong to lodge the FIR against the cancer patient and the administration was trying to cover up its own failures by doing so”.He said that he has also written a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath in this regard.
Sharma said, “how can the health department harass a medically unfit person, who himself informed them with all the required details of his Covid-19 status. I have informed the nodal officer, who has been sent by the government in the district, and he has assured me to apprise the state government about this for further action”.
When contacted DM Praveen Kumar Laxkar, he refused to comment on the issue but assured to look into the matter.
Hathras health department had lodged an FIR against a the 62 year old cancer patient and his son under section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of IPC along with section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 at Hathras Kotwali police station.
However, the family members have refuted the charge and claimed that they had provided the requisite information to the Covid cell immediately after they had received the Covid Positive report from the private hospital in Noida which was treating the patient. Presently, 10 family members of the patient are under treatment for Coronavirus, as they were infected due to the delay in isolation, alleged cancer patient’s nephew.