Serious allegations of quarantine violation have emerged in the case of some COVID-19 patients who had returned here from Shikarji, a Jain pilgrimage centre in Jharkhand.
As many as 13 persons tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. They are part of a team of 30 pilgrims who had returned from Shikarji. Three tested positive last week.
The allegations are that they had violated home quarantine regulations. Most of them have roamed around villages. The affected persons hail from Savadi, Belavakki, Nandagaon and Jhunjharwad villages near Athani.
“While in quarantine, they have routinely met relatives and friends who brought them food from home. After release, they have not followed home quarantine properly,” said an officer in Athani.
“As many as 10 persons have had a haircut. One of them organised a mass lunch for friends and relatives after his successful completion of his pilgrimage. Another person travelled to Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district on business. All this is being recorded and sent to the district administration in a report,” said an officer from Athani.
Some residents of Sampagaon village alleged that they had avoided institutional quarantine altogether, using political pressure. Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli has denied this. “It is not true that they were not in institutional quarantine,” he said.
“We had put them up in institutional quarantine between May 6 and 20. However, after 14 days, they were asked to go home. Officials should have waited till their results had arrived. An inquiry will be initiated,” he said. He said that he would also investigate if any officer had violated any rule, acting under political pressure.
“Our office has received some complaints about these pilgrims violating home quarantine rules. If they are found to be true, we will take legal action against the violators,” he said.
