54 held for attacking doctors & health workers in Bengaluru

TNN | Apr 21, 2020, 06:23 IST

After violence on Sunday night, 1,500 cops, including gun-wielding Garuda force, were deployed in Padarayanapura area on Monday.

After violence on Sunday night, 1,500 cops, including gun-wielding Garuda force, were deployed in Padarayanapu...Read More

BENGALURU: A day after a team of BBMP doctors and ASHA workers was attacked in Padarayanapura of west Bengaluru, the Karnataka government on Monday said it will promulgate an ordinance to protect police and health workers on Covid-19 duties.
The cabinet, at its meeting, decided to promulgate the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Ordinance based on the Uttar Pradesh and Kerala models. However, the details of the nature and quantum of punishment for perpetrators of violence and attacks were not revealed.
Police arrested 54 miscreants, including a woman, in connection with the violence on Sunday night. They said more arrests were likely. Five minors were picked up and released on bail.
The BBMP team of doctors and ASHA workers had gone to Padarayanapura to take 58 contacts of Covid-19 patients to a public quarantine when locals attacked them. Police managed to evacuate both health workers and the contacts. Following the violence, a contingent of 1,500 policemen, including platoons from the Karnataka State Reserve Police, City Armed Reserve and gun-wielding Garuda force, was deployed in Padarayanapura. In all, 19 persons from the area have tested positive and the ward has been declared a cluster containment zone.
The Padarayanapura violence touched off a political slugfest with BJP leaders on Monday demanding that former minister and Congress MLA BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan be quarantined for attending the funeral of a 65-year-old Covid-19 patient on Sunday in the area.