Akhil Corona Positive

Jailed KMSS Akhil Gogoi, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged involvement in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests last year and is currently lodged in Guwahati Central Jail, tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday.

A top official of the state home department said Akhil Gogoi was tested positive for Covid-19 after he underwent the antigen test on Saturday evening.

"Akhil Gogoi was found positive in the antigen test this evening. He will be shifted to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) now," Inspector General (Prisons) Dasarath Das said.

The health officials did three tests on Gogoi — two antigen and one swab test (RT-PCR) — and only the last antigen sample was positive, he said.

Assam Government has formed a health committee to conduct the treatment of Akhil Gogoi, after he was tested positive for COVID-19 today, despite being tested negative twice previously

Committee headed by Dr. Bhabani Prasad Chakraborty. Other members of the committee are: Dr. Sangit dutta (GMCH), Dr. Basanta hazarika (GMCH), Dr. Brojen Lahakar (Health City) and Dr. Nilim khaund

Apart from Akhil Gogoi, two of his colleagues and leaders of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) — Bittu Sonowal and Dhairjya Konwar — also tested positive for coronavirus and have been admitted to Guwahati Medical College Hospital, sources said.

In view of detection of as many as 55 coronavirus cases, the Kamrup district administration on Saturday declared the Central Jail in Guwahati as a containment zone.

Meanwhile, widespread protests were held across Assam in the last few days, demanding the release of Gogoi and his associates.

National Award-winning filmmaker Jahnu Barua in a video post on Facebook said that during the pandemic, many prisoners without any serious charges were released from jails across the world, including in Assam and other Indian states.