Non-bailable case against attackers of health workers

People attacking health workers will be booked for non-bailable offences, the city police chief has warned, days after local residents allegedly beat up a frontline medicare staffer in northeastern Bengaluru.

An ASHA worker was allegedly manhandled by about 50 people in Sadiq Nagar, Saraipalya, while carrying out field surveillance in the area after a local resident tested positive for COVID-19 on April 1.

Taking serious note of the incident, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao described the attack as an “inhuman” act and warned of stringent action against the culprits. Anyone found involved in such attacks will be booked for non-bailable offences and sent to jail, he told DH, adding that the police would provide “full protection” to frontline medicare staff deployed to track the quarantined people.

The police have already arrested five people — namely Mohammed Mustafa (25), Suhail Basha (30), both residents of Thanisandra; Ansar Jabbar (35), Sarfaraz Hedfa Jabbar (38) and Sagheer Shareef (40), all from Saraipalya — over the incident.

Rao said he had instructed his officers to immediately detain and book the attackers.