43-yr-old undertrial prisoner dies of COVID-19 in Tihar Jail

New Delhi: A 43-year-old undertrial prisoner of Tihar Jail died on Tuesday, a day after he tested positive for COVID-19, officials said. Mohammad Anish, lodged in prison since December 2019 in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and was admitted to a jail hospital with mild symptoms, they said.

As per the official, he was detected COVID-19 positive on April 26, having mild Influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms. He was shifted to central jail hospital, CJ-3.

However, on the morning of April 27, his condition deteriorated and he was referred to DDU hospital in an emergency. Later he died in the hospital in the afternoon.

"The UTP had been lodged in jail since December 17, 2019, in a case under NDPS Act," the official said. Sandeep Goel, Director General (prisons) said inquest proceedings will be conducted by MM.

The statistics shared by the prison authority revealed that till April 26, about 359 inmates, jail officials were tested positive since March 2021.

"267 inmates were affected by the contagious disease in which 22 have recovered whereas 92 prisons staff were tested positive in which one has recovered," the data shows.