Bengaluru: With many departmental stores, shops and establishments insisting on people to wear masks, Karnataka government on Tuesday clarified that as a rule every one need not wear a mask.
The Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare Services in an advisory said a person is suppose to wear mask only when he or she has symptoms of cold or cough or fever or any other respiratory problem.
It said a person who is caring for COVID-19 suspect or confirmed patient should wear mask. Also, a health worker who is attending to a patient with respiratory symptoms should wear a mask.
The advisory also noted that those treating or handling COVID-19 suspects or patients need to wear N95 mask, while others can wear triple layer surgical mask.
The advisory from the Commissionerate has come amid shops and establishments, also police on road insisting people to wear masks when they venture out.
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Lucknow: In a sequence of events shrouded in suspicion and allegations, the recent hospitalization and subsequent demise of convicted former legislator Mukhtar Ansari have sparked controversy and demands for a thorough investigation. Ansari, who was lodged in Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh, complained of abdominal pain and was hospitalized before his death, allegedly due to a cardiac arrest. However, his son, Umar Ansari, has raised serious concerns about foul play, citing instances of alleged poisoning and lapses in medical treatment.
A week prior to his hospitalization, Ansari had filed an application in a court in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, alleging that his meals had been poisoned on at least two occasions within 40 days. He claimed that the food provided to him in jail had been mixed with a poisonous substance, leading to severe illness. Additionally, Ansari stated that some jail staff, including those responsible for food tasting, also fell ill after consuming the same food. Subsequently, he sought a probe into the matter and requested adequate medical attention and security.
Ansari said after eating the food, he felt uneasy and felt pain in his limbs first and then in the rest of his body.
“My hands and feet turned cold. And it felt like I was about to die. I felt uneasiness. Before that, my health was completely fine,” said Ansari in his application.
He had further alleged that around 40 days before that, he was given a “slow poison” with his meal. Some jail members, including one who would taste his food before it was fed to him, also felt unwell and they all had to be treated, Ansari had alleged in his two-page application.
“The threat to my life in the jail has increased. Any untoward incident can happen to me at any time,” Ansari had said, alleging that his poisoning was part of “some big conspiracy”.
Upon receiving Ansari's application, special judge Kamal Kant Srivastava directed the Jail Superintendent in Banda to submit a report on Ansari's health and security by March 29. The court emphasized the need for proper medical examination and facilities for Ansari as per the jail manual. Furthermore, the court instructed the jail official to take necessary measures to ensure Ansari's safety.
On March 26, Ansari was admitted to the hospital after complaining of abdominal pain. His health deteriorated suddenly, leading to his transfer to Rani Durgavati Medical College. Despite initial treatment, Ansari succumbed to a cardiac arrest. The circumstances surrounding his death have raised suspicions, especially considering his earlier allegations of poisoning and concerns about his safety in jail.
Ansari’s son Umar Ansari had last year filed a petition in the Supreme Court saying that the state government was planning to assassinate Ansari in Banda jail, where he was lodged as a convict and accused in several criminal cases.
Umar Ansari had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court last December praying that his father be moved to a jail outside UP. On December 15, 2023, the Adityanath government assured the apex court that “necessary augmentation of security as needed will be made” to ensure that no harm was caused to Ansari while in custody. In his petition, Umar had expressed concern for his father’s well-being by drawing attention to the murder of former Lok Sabha MP and tainted politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad while they were being escorted by a team of policemen for a routine medical check-up in Prayagraj on April 15 last year. The Ahmad brothers were killed in front of reporters and the footage was relayed live on television.
Ansari's family, including his son Umar Ansari, has reiterated their allegations of foul play and demanded a thorough investigation into his death. Umar Ansari, in particular, highlighted the lack of access to his father during his hospitalization and expressed concerns about the handling of the case by authorities. Moreover, the past assurances by the Adityanath government regarding Ansari's security have come under scrutiny in light of recent events.
“I am nobody to make an allegation. The who was poisoned (Mukhtar) had himself alleged that he was given poison along with his dinner on March 19.” Umar said.
Various political leaders and organizations, including Bhim Army leader Chandrashekhar Azad and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, have called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Ansari's death. They have criticized the state government for allegedly neglecting Ansari's health concerns and failing to address the serious allegations of poisoning.