Bangalore: A mob of around 200 on Sunday attacked a team of health officials who had reached Padarayanapura area in Chamarajpet, Bengaluru to quarantine 58 people who were believed to have come in contact with COVID-19 positive patients.Some people clashed with civic body officials in Padarayanapura in Bengaluru on Sunday night when they reached the area reportedly to take suspected COVID-19 patients in quarantine.
The mob destroyed barricades and checkpoints set up by police and health officials to monitor the seal down orders around the area following more than 10 COVID-19 cases.
Padarayanapura, a ward in west Bengaluru dominated by Muslim community, was sealed last week after three people, who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin last month, tested positive for coronavirus. As a team of health officials reached there to quarantine 58 people, locals got agitated and started removing police barricades, which had been erected to mark the area as a containment zone.
After this incident, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa held a meeting with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and police officers on Monday morning over the incident. “I met the chief minister and briefed him. He told us to act strictly. I’ve told the same to my officials. We won’t tolerate such acts. We’ve arrested 59 people and five FIRs have been registered. I’m going to Padarayanapura. Will make sure others are quarantined,” Bommai said after the meeting.
So far, 59 persons have been arrested after the incident triggered widespread criticism. While the police denied reports of attack on the team, a first information report or FIR has been filed that mentions charges of assault and attempt to murder.