Hyderabad: Siddique Kappan, the Kerala journalist who was arrested on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh to report on the alleged gang rape of a Dalit woman, has tested positive for COVID-19 in Mathura jail where he is currently lodged, sources said.
Malayalam media portals reported that lawyer Wills Matthew confirmed the news of his contraction to Kappan’s wife Raihanath. He is currently admitted into the prison hospital, with symptoms of high fever.
Kappan, a freelance journalist who wrote for Malayalam portals and secretary of Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), was arrested along with three others under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sedition for allegedly attempting to create social tension.
In the FIR (First Information Report), the police used a section of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that deals with “raising funds for a terrorist act”. For six months now, Kappan has been in Mathura, with multiple bail petitions pending.