COVID-19: NHRC issues notices over negligence and death of Delhi Police constable

Notices were issued to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi and Union Home Secretary by National Human rights commission after taking suo motu cognizance of a complaint accompanied by a media report alleging negligence in the treatment of Delhi Police constable Amit Kumar who died due to Corona infection.

New Delhi:The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi and Union Home Secretary after taking suo motu cognizance of a complaint accompanied by a media report alleging negligence in the treatment of Delhi Police constable Amit Kumar who died due to Corona infection. They have been asked to submit a report within four weeks. The report is asked to include Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) adopted by the hospitals for the COVID-19 patients and the status of its implementation.

The statement issued by NHRC says, "Alleged denial of admission in the hospital to a policeman, who had been doing his duty sincerely, is a matter of concern for the Commission. Timely treatment to the young constable may have saved his life."

The statement also says, "The reported incident seemingly also sends a message that the patients are, perhaps, not being attended by the hospitals and COVID-19 centres, as per standard protocol set by the agencies concerned. It shows the reckless and negligent attitude of the hospital authorities."

The Commission pointed out that reports about the incident also indicates that perhaps the hospital authorities are lacking in infrastructure and right approach to deal with the COVID-19 patients. The hospitals are required to tackle the situation very sensibly with a humane approach. 32-year-old constable died on May 5 after developing symptoms of COVID-19.

The complainant has stated that the deceased, aged 32 years was taken to the Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital by one of his colleagues where a test was conducted on him for Covid-19 and he was returned back. He was not admitted to the hospital. The victim, later, complained of breathlessness and he was taken to the RML hospital but he could not reach the hospital and died on the way.

As per reports, the deceased constable was taken to a Covid-19 centre at Haidarpur from where he was diverted to the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital. The patient kept waiting for hours and then he was taken to Deepchand Bandhu hospital from where he was referred to a Covid-19 centre at Ashok Vihar where the doctors agreed to admit him on condition that he will have to manage everything on his own. The colleague accompanying him told them that he is not even able to talk and will not be able to manage.

He was taken back home and the matter was taken up with the higher authorities of the Delhi Police. Later, the patient was directed to be taken to the RML hospital, New Delhi where he could not reach and died en-route.

Issuing the notices, the Commission has observed that the police personnel, doctors, paramedical staff of the hospitals are the ones, are front line fighters to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

This is the first death in Delhi Police with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.