In what can be described as a truly shocking incident, a lab technician in Maharashtra's Amravati has been booked for rape after taking vaginal swabs of a 24-year-old woman claiming it is a prerequisite for the COVID-19 test. The man had convinced the woman saying it is necessary that a vaginal swab be taken in order to proceed forward with the coronavirus test. 

The woman had reportedly gone to get a test taken after her colleague had tested positive for coronavirus. Upon reaching the COVID-19 Trauma Centre lab in Amravati, the lab technician present there had told her that it was essential that vaginal swabs be taken for accuracy in the test results for coronavirus. 

However, the woman went back home and discussed the incident with her brother, who then inquired with other doctors, after which he was told that no such test is necessary for checking if a person is infected with coronavirus. Following this, a police complaint was filed by the woman's family and the technician has been booked under rape charges. The incident has sparked huge outrage with Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Yashomati Thakur assuring the family of strict action against the lab technician while adding that she is taking serious note of it. 

Maharashtra recorded 9,211 fresh coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the state's tally to 4,00,651 with 298 deaths registered and the death toll rising to 14,463 casualties to date. Up until now, more than 20 lakh people have been tested in the state with 1,46,129 people currently undergoing treatment. The state government had on Thursday announced that the ongoing lockdown will be extended till August 31, with Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar stating that Maharashtra continues to be "threatened with the spread of COVID-19", while adding that restrictions would be eased in a "phase-wise manner with the standard operating procedures (SOPs)".