JAGATSINGHPUR: Ruckus prevailed at a Government quarantine facility after a panchayat executive officer (PEO) and husband of a woman sarpanch assaulted migrant workers over alleged misbehaviour with women at the centre on Wednesday. The workers, however, refuted the allegation and said they were assaulted as they protested poor quality of food provided to them. The incident took place at the quarantine facility at Braja Kishore Satamauzi High School at Gadabishnupur panchayat under Erasama block. 

As many as 22 migrant labourers including nine women were lodged in the quarantine facility. On Wednesday,  a scuffle took place between some inmates and the sarpanch’s husband Pravakar Behera and PEO Pabitra Mallick. While the duo alleged that they had reacted to the unruly inmates, who were misbehaving with women, the workers said they were attacked as they protested low-quality food and lack of basic facilities at the centre in violation of Government directives.

Erasama BDO, Kailash Behera said block officials and police personnel rushed to the spot and found the allegations levelled by workers as false. He said the unruly inmates were found misbehaving with the women inmates at the centre. When they were pulled up for their behaviour by Behera and Mallick, they levelled allegations of poor food being served to them. “The workers have apologised. So, no action has been taken against them”, he added.