Why COVID-19 patients travelled during lockdown, asks TMC MP after 9 RPF personnel test positive

New Delhi, Apr 24 () After nine Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel tested positive for COVID-19 in West Bengal, TMC MP Derek O' Brien on Friday questioned why they were travelling during the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the deadly disease.

The personnel were part of a 28-member RPF contingent from the Kharagpur division of South Eastern Railway, which had returned on April 14 from Delhi with a consignment of arms and ammunition aboard a parcel express train, SER spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said.

After one constable developed coronavirus-like symptoms, his swab was tested at a government facility in West Bengal on Thursday.

He was admitted to a designated private COVID-19 hospital at Uluberia after his report came positive, Ghosh said, adding that the results of eight others also came positive.

Raising concerns over this, the TMC MP tweeted, "Getting disturbing news. 9 #RPF personnel test + for #Covid19 in Bengal. 6 in Kharagpur, 1 each Mecheda/Uluberia. They all came to Kolkata from Delhi on 14 April by train. Why were positive patients traveling during #lockdown? WHO SENT THEM ? Screening? How many people did they met? (sic)" ASG SNESNE