KASARGOD: A COVID-affected family has accused the Melparamba police of being spiteful and inconsiderate as their daughter-in-law gave birth to a girl in their house at Kalnad.
On Sunday, the wife of COVID patient no. 2 of Kasaragod gave birth at Kalnad in Chemnad panchayat, a hotspot.
Both the wife and the husband recovered from the viral disease and returned home on April 9 and 10 and even completed the post-recovery quarantine period of 14 days.
On Sunday morning, when the woman's labour pain started, the husband called the beat police officer to allow him to take his wife to the hospital. "But the Melparamba inspector snatched the phone from the officer and taunted me, saying you are the same person who infected 23 persons and now you want to roam around again," the man said.
The officer reportedly told the man that he had done the "drama" last week, too. "The officer dared me to take our car out if we can," he said.
The man's aged father said he was shocked to hear that.
Nine days ago, the woman developed pain and was rushed to Kannur Medical College Hospital in Pariyaram. "But her pain was due to an infection and we returned home after two days," said the father-in-law.
"I saw my daughter-in-law in pain, running to the bathroom. She slipped and fell. It shattered my heart," he said.
He immediately called in his sister who stayed in the same locality. "She rushed in her prayer attire. By then the child was born," he said.
The family said they contacted Narcotics Cell DySP Assainar. "He was very helpful. In 30 minutes, our house was turned to a medical centre. Nurses and health officials arrived, police officers too came. And the ambulance also reached," he said.
DySP Assainar said he was contacted by his co-brother, who is a neighbour of the family. "I immediately contacted the Kasaragod DySP, the additional SI of Melparamba and health officials. They all reached the house. They responded quickly," the officer said.
The husband and father-in-law said that the Melparamba police officers were always helpful and guiding them through the quarantine period. "But what the inspector said and did today is shocking," said the father-in-law on Sunday.
Later, the mother and child were taken to E K Nayanar Memorial Cooperative Hospital in Chengala, which is now the maternity wing of the General Hospital.
Doctors had to stitch up the new mother, and later shifted her and the child to the General Hospital in Kasaragod for observation. "We shifted her there because we did not have space here," said a doctor.
On May 1, 15 children were born in the congested hospital; on May 2, 10 children were born, and by Sunday afternoon, six children were born in the hospital.