Senior NCP leader and Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad has been tested positive for the Chinese epidemic coronavirus.
According to the reports, the 54-year-old lawmaker had admitted himself a private hospital in Thane for a precautionary check-up. Earlier, Awhad was under home quarantine along with 15 members of his family for a week after reports had emerged that some of his security staff tested were positive for the novel coronavirus.
First test was negative
Jitendra Awhad had earlier tested negative for the Wuhan Coronavirus when 16 of his contacts were diagnosed with the deadly infection. The MLA had tested negative for the virus before April 13.
Later, Jitendra Awhad who represents the Kalwa-Mumbra Assembly constituency had decided to self-quarantine after coming in contact with a coronavirus positive police officer. He had taken this decision as a preventive measure even before his test results were announced.
May have contracted the virus from police officer
It is suspected that Jitendra Awhad may have contracted the novel coronavirus following his meeting a senior police inspector of Mumbra police station earlier in April to discuss the lockdown and law and order situation. The police officer was tested positive last week when he was on leave at his native town in Nashik.
The officer had carried out an operation to nab Tablighi Jamaat members in Mumbra and had apprehended 21 foreign nationals including 13 Bangladeshi and 8 Malaysian nationals after the news regarding the Delhi event of broke.
As the officer tested positive, Thane municipal corporation authorities had also tested over 100 people who had come in direct contact with the officer, which included Awhad, policemen from the station house, journalists and few others.
Allegations of Assault
Earlier, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at Vartak Nagar police station against Maharashtra cabinet minister Jitendra Awhad by a resident of Thane, alleging that two police constables and goons allegedly associated with Awhad had badly assaulted him. As per the complaint filed, the young man had opposed the NCP leader’s call to boycott PM Modi’s request to light a lamp for 9 minutes at 9 PM on April 5.
