Kerala Man forced to carry ailing father on foot after Covid lockdown stops autorickshaw

In a harrowing incident in Kerala, a man was allegedly forced to carry his 65-year-old ailing father on foot after the police stopped the autorickshaw in which they were travelling, on account of Coronavirus lockdown guidelines. This incident soon gained the attention of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission which registered a suo moto case in connection with this incident.

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Asked to get down from the auto, says son

The son who was taking his father back home in an autorickshaw alleged that the police stopped them despite showing hospital documents mentioning his father's discharge. The son was left with no other option than to walk close to one kilometer in Punalur city area on foot with his father in his arms along with his mother as the police personnel made them get down the auto. The 65-year-old ailing man, a native of Kulathupuzha was admitted to the Punalur Taluk Hospital and was discharged on Wednesday.

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COVID-19 Cases in Kerala

As of date, Kerala has reported a total of 387 confirmed cases of COVID-9. Of these, 167 patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals across the State. Of the total number, 264 cases were those who had returned to Kerala from abroad and other states, eight were foreign nationals and 114 were cases of local transmission.

Currently, 97,464 people are under surveillance in the State. Of these, 96,942 are under home isolation and 522 are in isolation wards in hospitals. 86 persons were hospitalised in Kerala on Wednesday.

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The State has sent 16,472 samples for COVID-19 testing, of which 16,002 samples have turned negative. The CM Vijayan informed that few more private hospitals have offered their infrastructure including ambulances and labour to support the fight against Coronavirus, and for setting up more quarantine facilities.

Meanwhile, the Centre has imposed a complete lockdown in India till May 3 as a measure to prevent the spread of deadly COVID-19 which has infected more than 12,000 people in the country and claimed more than 400 lives. 

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