According to locals, a medical team had gone in an ambulance along with four constables of Nagfani Police Station to accompany the family of a positive patient to quarantine centre, as per procedure. (Representational)
A team of health workers and police officials were allegedly attacked with stones in a Moradabad locality in Uttar Pradesh, where they had gone to put family members of a COVID-19 patient under quarantine. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday condemned the attack and directed that action will be taken against the accused under the National Security Act (NSA) and cost of property damage will also be recovered from them.
“Medical professionals, sanitation workers and police officers are carrying out their duty 24×7 in this pandemic. The attack on the members of the health, police and sanitation department in Moradabad is an inhuman crime which is condemnable. Action under NSA will be taken against them. Cost of property damage will also be recovered from the accused. The police officials have been asked to identify the accused,” said Yogi Adityanath, taking cognisance of the incident.
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According to an official, the incident occurred in Nawabpura area, where people in huge number attacked the medical personnel and policemen. “The doctors were attacked and we had to run for our lives. We did not have adequate protection and there were only four policemen. There were hundreds of people involved in the attack,” said a medical support staff caught in the attack. A police vehicle was also damaged, an official said.
According to locals, a medical team had gone in an ambulance along with four constables of Nagfani Police Station to accompany the family of a positive patient to quarantine centre, as per procedure. As officials reached the house, a bunch of five to 10 people gathered around the house. The police and health officials asked the gathering crowd to disperse, following which an argument allegedly broke out.
Within few minutes, stone pelting began and the officials ran outside the colony for cover, said a local. Two medical professionals were injured and are currently receiving treatment. In a video, allegedly shot during the attack, area residents can be seen pelting stones at the officials from their terrace and roofs.
Similar incidents had surfaced in Indore, Hyderabad and Karnataka where medical personnel and police officers were allegedly attacked by citizens.
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