Give health workers armed security: HC

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to place a policy on record on providing armed protection for nurses, doctors and ASHA workers in the entire state.Taking note of the media reports on Sunday’s Padarayanapura incident and hearing an application filed about the incident through video conference, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice B V Nagarathna asked the state government to place details of the steps taken to protect health workers from such incidents.

Questioning if police personnel had accompanied the health workers and doctors when they had gone to bring people to be placed under quarantine, the bench said that ensuring their safety was of paramount necessity as they were in the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.

On Nikhil’s marriage
Hearing an application on alleged violation of social distancing norms during Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s wedding, the bench asked the state to submit its response by April 24, the next date of hearing.

On Jathra
The bench also directed the state government to submit its response on the action taken over the large gathering at Siddalingeshwara temple car festival in Kalburagi’s Chittapur taluk.