Puri: ‘Jagannath Sena’ a local outfit of Puri district lodged Monday an FIR against School and Mass Education Minister and Nimapada MLA Samir Ranjan Dash and Satyabadi lawmaker Umakanta Samantaray at the Sea Beach Police Station here for breaking COVID-19 guidelines. They alleged that the two had flouted COVID-19 rules while attending Sunday the funeral of Pipili MLA Pradeep Maharathy here at Swargadwar.
In the FIR, the ‘Jagannath Sena’ alleged that both Dash and Samantaray had tested positive for COVID-19 a few days back. In spite of that they chose to be present at the funeral which was attended by a large number of people.
Convener of ‘Jagannath Sena’, Priyadarshi Mishra said, “Even though the two legislators had tested positive for COVID-19 few days back, they attended the last rites of Maharathy, which is against the COVID-19 guidelines.”
Dash clarified that, he had tested positive for the virus September 14. “I was discharged from the COVID-19 ward of Ashwini Hospital in Cuttack, September 21. From then till October 4, I was in home isolation. Sunday was the 21st day from the day I had tested positive. So there is no chance that I can spread the virus to others,” Dash said.
However, Samantaray is yet to give any clarification on this matter.
Thousands of people were present at Maharathy’s funeral which took place Sunday. There were a number of people who flouted COVID-19 guidelines quite openly. There was no social distancing among the people. Questions are rising as to how the district administration allowed such a large congregation to take place. The Odisha government had earlier issued the directive that only 20 members of the deceased’s family can be present during the funeral. So officials of the Puri district administration are being blamed for allowing the gathering to take place.
PNN