Over 95 tested Covid positive after wedding in Patna: FIR lodged against father of deceased groom

PATNA: Paliganj BDO Chiranjeevi Pandey on Thursday lodged an FIR against Dihpali village resident in rural Patna, Ambika Chaudhary, on the instructions of Patna district magistrate Kumar Ravi.
Chaudhary has been accused for playing a significant role in mass spreading of Covid-19 virus in his son’s wedding at his village in Paliganj block, where more than 95 people who attended the wedding have been tested positive for Covid-19.
His 30- year old son, a software engineer working at Gurugram, also died two days after the marriage on June 17, though he was cremated before conducting tests for Covid-19. He was suffering from cough and cold, loose motions and weakness after returning from Gurugram by a hired car. He died on way to being taken to AIIMS- Patna.
DM Ravi said that Chaudhary has has been charged for violating social distancing norms and not wearing masks during the wedding ceremony that took place on June 15.
The wedding was held at Naubatpur in rural Patna on June 15 and the accompanying rituals during which the infection is said to have spread were performed at Dihpali village.
Many areas have been declared containment zones and sealed in Paliganj as well as Naubatpur blocks.
The one of its kind and probably the first case of mass spreading of Covid-19 virus in the state has come up as a shock for those who were planning to get married or organize a function in the coming months.
While residents are ensuring that they only invite their close relatives, executives at banquet halls are making sure that not more than 50 guests attend the ceremonies. Many people have even extended the date of weddings.