Indore: Locals Pelt Stone On Health Officials Including 3 Doctors Engaged In Covid-19 Screening In Epidemic Epicenter

Health department officials engaged in COVID-19 screening of people reportedly infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Indore''s Tat Patti Bakhal had a narrow escape when a group of angry locals of the area started pelting stones,

The health team consisted of five persons including three doctors.

The local administration has already declared the area an epicenter following detection of two COVID-19 cases, and as many as 54 families are currently under home isolation.

Though initial reports suggested that two women doctors suffered injuries to their legs, police said no one was hurt in the stone-pelting incident on Wednesday.

"The moment we started enquiring about a particular person''s health, people began protesting and were joined by others who resorted to pelting stones. Policemen standing nearby came to our rescue," a woman doctor said.

Indore's Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Pravin Jadia said: "Our team is working to protect people from the coronavirus infection. But people pelted stones at them. It was an unfortunate incident."

"Two women doctors somehow protected themselves by hiding in tehsildar''s vehicle," said Jadia.

A complaint has been filed at Chhatripura police station. A police officer said that during the incident the protesters also broke the barricade. A case of rioting will be pursued against them. Investigating officials said lack of awareness among the people about the corona virus infection and rumours spread on social media had led to such confrontation.

Meanwhile, Indore Deputy Inspector General of Police Hari Narayan Chari Mishra told IANS that a team from the health department had gone to the area to conduct health checks when they were attacked with stones. However, no one was hurt in the stone-pelting incident.

"The police have registered a case against unknown people and are looking for them," Mishra said.

In another development, a 28-year-old woman doctor was admitted to a hospital with coronavirus on Wednesday.

Jadia said the doctor was admitted to a private hospital. She was with the gynaecology department of the government Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital, he said.

The CMHO said that 20 people including doctors who had come in contact with her have been identified and put under quarantine.

The doctor had met her husband in Lucknow some days ago and returned to Indore. Her husband has also been quarantined in Lucknow, Jadia said.

This is for the second time when health department staff had to face opposition from locals. Earlier on Monday, a health department team had heated argument in Ranipura area – another COVID-19 epicentre -- over screening of locals for symptoms.

(With inputs from IANS)