Telangana official tests positive for COVID-19, booked for cover-up

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Hyderabad, Apr 4 (): A COVID-19 positive stategovernment official has been booked for not disclosing hisattendance at the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi lastmonth, police said on Saturday.

The official is currently undergoing treatment in thestate-run Gandhi Hospital, Jangoan police inspector D Malleshsaid, adding, the case was booked on Friday.

The man, working in the District Rural DevelopmentAgency(DRDA) of Jangoan, participated in the religious congregationin Delhi on March 15 without permission or leave and returnedthree days later.

Further, he did not take any precautionary measures andmoved in public as well as attended duty, Mallesh said.

A case under Sections 269 (Negligent act likely to spreadinfection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant actlikely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life,) and188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant)of IPC was booked against the official, police said.

The Telangana government had recently announced thatwhoever had attended the religious meeting at Nizamuddin Westin the national capital should inform the health departmentofficials or police and undergo tests for coronavirus.

The state has seen the most fatalities in south, withnine of the deceased having had a history of attending thereligious meeting at Nizamuddin West.

The South Delhi locality has emerged as an epicentre forthe spread of coronavirus in different parts of the countryafter thousands of people took part in the Tablighi Jamaatcongregation from March 1-15 and returned to their states.

Telangana has so far reported a total of 229 coronaviruspositive cases. GDK SA NVG APRRAVINDRANATH APRRAVINDRANATH