At least two new incidents of health staff involved in coronavirus containment facing backlash, have come to light as the fight against the spread of the disease continues.
In one of the incidents, two ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers were allegedly manhandled at Kudachi in Belagavi district in Karnataka on Tuesday while undertaking a survey following detection of four COVID-19 cases with Tablighi links in the area, police said.
The district authorities have intensified door-to-door survey in Kudachi after four people who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat religious conference in New Delhi last month tested positive for coronavirus in nearby Raibagh.
“Today, when two ASHA workers went to Kudachi, some miscreants snatched away their phones. We are investigating whether they were beaten up also," a police officer investigating the matter told PTI.
In another incident, police in rural Bengaluru arrested two people for allegedly abusing a doctor and four ASHA workers. A Deccan Herald (DH) report said the medical staff were conducting health surveillance at Kalalighatta village near Nelamangala.
The DH report said Iliyas Khan (45), a labourer; and Sikandar Khan (35), a welder; have been arrested for obstructing government servants from discharging their duties.
The arrests were made based on a complaint made by Dr SR Lakshmikanth, a senior health officer of the Government Hospital in Thyamagondlu.
A few days ago, four ASHA workers In Bengaluru were allegedly manhandled when they went for a door-to-door survey and police arrested five people from a minority community in connection with the incident. They have been remanded to judicial custody by a court. A woman ASHA worker had then alleged that an announcement was made from the mosque after which the incidents of harassment ensued.
Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda had on Monday condemned incidents of attacks on doctors and health department workers and sought protection for them. Even the Congress has demanded protection for these officials.