‘Second attack in the district in a week’
Sajid Maqbool
Bandipora, Apr 18: A team of Rapid Response Force (medical staff) was attacked by a huge mob on Saturday late evening when they went to take away some suspected cases of the novel coronavirus in Gund-Dechina village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, an area worst-affected by the deadly virus.
An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a huge mob pelted stones on medical team and police which had gone to take along some persons possibly infected with COVID-19 with them.
“When the team boarded ambulance with patients, suddenly crowd emerged and started pelting stones leaving one health worker injured identified as Mohammad Saifudin Dar, a member of Rapid response forces,” officials said.
However, despite the heavy stone pelting, the team brought at least 13 people from village with them who were late put under quarantine. Station house officer (SHO) Aragam, Javid Ahamad when contacted told KNO that they rescued the medical team from the area and the security in the area has been tightened after the attack.
He further said that a case FIR no. 16 under section 353, 307, 148, 188, 269 IPC has been also registered against the suspected persons and further investigation initiated
Pertinently authorities has already declared the entire village red zone following the detection of Covid-19 cases. According to officials as many as all families have been placed under home quarantine in the village.
This is not the first incident where in health workers have been targeted. Earlier last week, a health team had a heated argument with locals followed by stone pelting in Guroora village of the district during the screening of people.
