BMC commissioner asked police to use techniques like mobile CDR and IMEI number tracing to find them

Mumbai: At a time when Mumbai and Maharashtra is under tremendous pressure of rising numbers of corona positive patients, almost 70 corona positive patients are not traceable after testing positive in last three months. BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Municipal Commissioner, I S Chahal has directed police to trace this patients using their mobiles CDR or IMEI number. 

“These Corona positive patients gave addresses and phone numbers when they came for testing, but when we got their report and tried to contact them at their given addresses they were not to be found. They even did not respond to phone calls. In some places for which addresses were given we found other people living and some places were locked”, said an officer.

Local corporator Dr. Ram Barot said that initially, civic officials would take a few days to visit patients due to a delay in accessing their reports and lack of beds. “Some of the patients, though, had gone missing even before they learnt about their positive status. Some of their homes were found locked and some addresses were incorrect, so our local BMC officers informed police about this incident. Now police will find this people”, added Dr Ram Barot. 

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Minister for Textiles and Guardian minister Aslam Sheikh confirmed that some people are missing, but argued that they are not criminals. The Minister added “ I am not sure about the number being 70. These people are from Malad East area, many were migrants. They must have gone to their native place, or that they must have moved elsewhere. This is not major issue”. 

The BMC has sought police help to trace 70 people who had gone missing after testing positive for Covid-19 in the P-North (Malad) Ward over the past three months, through their phone Call Detail Records (CDR) and International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers — a technique used in crime investigation.

Suspecting similar cases in other municipal wards, BMC municipal commissioner I S Chahal asked civic officials to trace such patients in their areas too. There is also a possibility that some of them might have died. Police also been directed to trace this people. This can create a big problem as this patient can spread Corona, said one officer in BMC.