Nine held for attack on healthcare workers, police personnel in U.P.

Villagers were against cremation of COVID-19 patients in Bhadohi, say police

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath interacting with doctors involved in treatment of COVID-19 patients, at SGPGI in Lucknow. File photo

Nine people were on Thursday arrested after a team of healthcare workers and police personnel who had gone to cremate the body of a suspected COVID-19 victim were attacked on Wednesday by locals in Bhadohi district.

A case was registered against 35 people and 50 unidentified others for attempt to murder, wrongful confinement, rioting and assault, said Bhadohi police.

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Sections of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant clauses of the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act were slapped against the accused.

The incident took place on Wednesday evening when the healthcare workers were on their way to the Ganga ghat area in an ambulance.

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Premchand Chaudhary, an ambulance worker whose hand was injured in the incident, said that when they reached Rampur village, locals stopped them and they had to park the ambulance 1 km away from the location. A police jeep carrying four personnel and two other constables on a bike accompanied the ambulance then as the local police station sent reinforcements, said Mr. Chaudhary.

When they reached the village, the healthcare workers and police were attacked and they were forced to escape from the spot in dramatic fashion.

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“The villagers surrounded us from all sides. We had no way of escape. If we didn’t have this vehicle, our game was up,” Mr. Chaudhary told local media.

Mr. Chaudhary said he got hit by three-four bricks and injured his hand, while the ambulance also suffered damage.

Bhadohi police on Wednesday night said the body of the deceased, who had recently come from Gujarat, was cremated and legal action was being taken.

Ram Badan Singh, Superintendent of Police, Bhadohi said nine persons were arrested in the case so far. Asked about the likely provocation behind the attack, Mr. Singh told The Hindu that the villagers were opposed to the cremation of COVID-19 patients in the area.

“They said they won’t allow the cremation of ‘Corona-wale’ [COVID-19 patients]. However, the COVID-19 test of the deceased was not even conducted then. He [the deceased, identified as Umesh Pandey] had just arrived from Mumbai a couple of days ago,” said the officer.