After Qasab case, Yerawada jail takes steps to keep dengue out

After 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Qasab was found to be suffering from dengue, authorities at the Yerawada Central Jail swung into action to prevent inmates from catching the disease.

Yerawada Jail administration said so far there had not been a single case of dengue inside the jail. Authorities at the jail said they were taking due precaution to avoid stagnation of water and fumigation was being done on a regular basis.

"PMC officials are conducting fumigation drives at regular intervals and there is constant check to avoid stagnation of water inside the jail premises," Superintendent of Yerawada jail Yogesh Desai said.

Top officials from the state jail department said precautions were being taken to prevent any further cases of the disease across the state.

Inspector General of Police Vinod Lokhande said Qasab was out of danger and there was no question of his being shifted to JJ hospital for further treatment.

"This is a single case where an inmate is suffering from dengue," Lokhande said. "We are taking all precautions, which include spraying and fumigation on a regular basis to avoid further prevalence of this disease."

The Superintendent of Yerawada prison said there were inmates with fever and reports of tests conducted at the pathological laboratory inside the jail showed these were cases of just viral fever.

"There are no instances of inmates suffering from dengue so far and, in any case, we are in consultation with the Civil Surgeon," Lokhande said.

District Civil Surgeon Dr Vinayak More said jail authorities had not referred any dengue case to him so far. "If cleanliness is maintained and mosquito breeding spots are destroyed, there is no reason to worry," More said.u00a0