Moradabad attack: 73 Policemen quarantined after 5 accused test positive for COVID-19

Days after the shocking attack on Police and health workers in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad, 73 police personnel who came in contact with those arrested in connection with the incident have been quarantined. The stone-pelting incident took place in Moradabad's Nawabpura and on Thursday five of the accused tested positive for coronavirus, a police official said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Amit Pathak said that samples of all 73 police personnel, who have been quarantined at different centres, have been sent for testing. "We have enough staff at Nagphani police station to tackle the situation," he said. 

The five accused are among the 17 who were arrested after a mob attacked a team of health workers in Nawabpura area on April 15 to prevent it from taking a coronavirus-infected man to an isolation facility.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Centre passed and an ordinance to protect the health workers. The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 has been amended to make an attack on health workers a cognisable and non-bailable offence. The investigation in such cases has to be completed within 30 days and the verdict will have to be delivered within one year. Assault on health workers will attract a penalty of Rs.50,000 to 2 lakh and a jail term of 3 months to 5 years. If it is a serious injury, an enhanced penalty in the form of Rs.1 to 5 lakh and a jail term ranging from 6 months to 7 years will apply. Moreover, twice the cost of the damaged property of healthcare workers will be recovered from the guilty.

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The attack on the ambulance

On Wednesday, a medical team along with police personnel visited an area in Moradabad to take the family of a deceased COVID-19 family to a quarantine facility. When the patients boarded the ambulance, a mob of around 150 persons started pelting stones. Three persons including a doctor and a pharmacist have been injured. Moreover, the ambulance and police van has been vandalized.

Confirming this to Republic TV, the ambulance driver remarked, "It was a pre-planned conspiracy. When we brought the COVID-19 patient's family inside the Ambulance, many people gathered and pelted stone on us. Our doctors have been injured." 

Taking immediate cognisance, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said that accused will be booked under the stringent National Security Act. and their property will be attached to recover the damages. The Moradabad police on Friday identified more than 40 people involved in the attack.

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Coronavirus cases in Moradabad

Seven more people were tested positive for Coronvirus on April 18, bringing the total number of positive cases in the city to 37. Out of the seven new cases, four patients had the history of attending the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizammudin, Delhi, earlier in March. The administration has also started the process of quarantining the families of those found positive late at night.

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