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Guwahati, July 11 (IANS) As many as 55 inmates lodged in Guwahati Central jail have tested positive for coronavirus, causing concern among the authorities, health officials said on Saturday.

A senior officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department said that the authorities of both health and prison departments are inquiring how the jailbirds were infected by the contagious virus during the past few days.

In pursuance to the Supreme Court’s order, different state governments of the northeastern region including Assam have taken several steps to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in jails.

In all the eight northeastern states, several thousand prisoners had already been released on interim bail or PR Bond to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic inside the jails.

Meanwhile, the Assam government has refuted the media reports that Akhil Gogoi, jailed top farmers’ leader, tested COVID-19 positive.

On Akhil Gogoi’s Covid positive report, Inspector General of Prisons Dasarath Das said he had not received any such information from the health department.

Gogoi’s legal counsel Santanu Barthakur told the media, “I received the news that Gogoi has tested positive for COVID-19.”

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samitee (KMSS) founder is lodged in the Guwahati Central Jail for the past seven months for his role in the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

On Wednesday, two associates of Gogoi, who are in judicial custody, tested COVID-19 positive.