Indian man, 84, says he took 12 jabs; govt disputes claim

Health authorities in Bihar of India launched a probe after Brahma Dev Mandal, 84, a retired postal employee who hails from Orai village in Madhepura district, claimed to have received 12 anti-Covid vaccine shots during the last 11 months.

Bihar government officials have disputed Mandal's claim.

Mandal says he used his Aadhaar ID, his mobile number and his wife's voter ID and her phone number to get the 12 jabs.

Dr Amarendra Pratap Shahi, a civil surgeon from Madhepura, disputed Mandal's claim, saying that the CoWIN portal that is used for the Covid-19 vaccination process doesn't allow multiple registrations on a single Aadhaar ID.

"CoWIN does not allow multiple registrations using the same Aadhaar number. Besides, presently, a maximum of four beneficiaries can be registered on each mobile number," said Dr Shahi.

Dr Shahi, who visited Puraini village on Wednesday to meet Mandal, later said the octogenarian failed to show him any vaccination certificate to support his claim of being jabbed 12 times against Covid-19.

"He sounded slightly mentally unsound to me," said Dr Shahi.

To be sure, the doctor has called upon the medical officer in-charge of Puraini's primary health centre to verify the facts and submit a report in 24 hours' time.

Mandal says he took 12 shots of Covid-19 vaccine as part of his efforts to dispel misgivings about the jab among the villagers, who he claims were reluctant to take the shot.

Mandal, who claims to have noted down the date and time of all 12 jabs, said he took his first shot at Puraini PHC on February 13 last year. By September 24, he claimed to have taken the vaccine nine times. He says he took the latest jab on January 4 this year.

"No one ever stopped me at any vaccination centre from taking the shot," Mandal said. "I have shared all these facts with the civil surgeon who visited me."

Senior officials in the state health department said they would comment on the matter after a probe is done.