With fresh complaints of skin burn and allergic reactions following inward stamping at Patradevi checkpoint, the Goa Government confirmed the ink has been replaced.
At checkpoints passengers crossing the border and entering the state are stamped with two different inks — one declaring the date and the other sending them to quarantine.
While the one which stamps the date has had no effect the other square quarantine ink stamped on the back of the hand has led to severe skin burn and in few cases peeling of the skin.
On Thursday, a Goan named Prajyot Lawande tweeted two photographs showing a wound due to the ink. “The inward stamp applied at Patradevi checkpost has caused a severe allergic reaction to our hands, with the skin itching, puffing and eventually peeling off overnight…” he tweeted.
Hello @goacm @DrPramodPSawant @DGP_Goa @Coll_NorthGoa @visrane
The inward stamp applied at Patradevi checkpost has caused a severe allergic reaction to our hands, with the skin itching, puffing and eventually peeling off overnight. Request you to look at this at the earliest. pic.twitter.com/fJs4LZHv9P— Prajyot Lawande (@pslawande) May 7, 2020
Talking to The Indian Express he said, “We arrived at 5 pm at the checkpoint on Wednesday and we were stamped. We are three of us and we followed the instructions and were taken to quarantine where we waited for our results to arrive. We tested negative. At first it was irritating but later the skin showed some change and finally in the morning I saw the skin had peeled off. It pains now when I touch it there.”
On Thursday, officials confirmed the Health Department who are manning the kiosks at the border have the ink changed.