Youth beaten up, female doctors attacked in Delhi on pretext of coronavirus

The pandemic coronavirus appears to be rupturing the social fabric in the national capital -- a 22-year-old youth who returned from a Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Madhya Pradesh was beaten up in north Delhi, while two woman doctors were attacked by a man while buying fruits. In both cases, the victims were accused of trying to spread COVID-19.

While the youth was accused being part of a conspiracy to spread COVID-19, the women doctors faced the brunt of a 42-year-old man who slapped them and twisted their hands after yelling at them that they should not be out on streets.

Dilshad Ali was beaten up in Bawana on Sunday soon after he returned home from Bhopal where he had gone 45 days ago to attend a gathering of Tablighi Jamaat, which is now in the eye of a storm following its mid-march meeting in Delhi leading a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Ali was first stopped by authorities near Azadpur vegetable market and sent home after a medical examination cleared him. As he reached his home in Bawana, rumours started spreading that he was part of a conspiracy to spread COVID-19 in the village.

This led to the attack on him on Sunday, following which police rushed him to a hospital. Three persons -- Naveen, Prashant and Pramod -- were arrested on charges of wrongful restraint, assault and criminal intimidation.

Police said Ali has been admitted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain hospital as a COVID-19 suspect. "He is fine and being kept in COVID-19 isolation centre. As per information, there are no COVID-19 symptoms to date. The investigation officer had a telephonic conversation with him on Thursday morning in which he stated that he is fine," police said dismissing rumours emerged that he breathed his last.

In another incident on Wednesday night, two women doctors, who are sisters, of capital's Safdarjung Hospital were attacked by a 42-year-old man, accusing them of spreading the virus infection. The incident took place in Gautam Nagar of South Delhi, where the doctors stay, at around 9.20 PM on Wednesday when they came out of their rented accommodation to buy fruits.

The man identified as Sanjeev Sharma told them that they should not be out on the streets and asked them to stay away. He said they were not allowed to come to public places and it was because of doctors, COVID-19 is spreading.

According to Safdarjung Hospital Resident Doctors Association president Dr Manish, the two doctors tried to reason with him, he told them that they were bringing problems to the locality and slapped them. "He also hit them on their neck and twisted their hands when questioned," he said.

Police said the man began making remarks against the doctors and the need of social distancing as they approached the fruit stall. He also accused them of spreading the infection in residential areas.

Later, police arrested the accused and a case under Sections 323 (hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or intent to outrage the modesty of a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (words, gestures used to outrage the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against him.

Police said the doctors who were attacked were not on COVID-19 duty.

Assuring doctors and nurses that strict action will be taken against offenders, Delhi Police spokesperson M S Randhawa said they have reviewed the security of various hospitals in the capital, including in AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital.

Healthcare professionals in Delhi and elsewhere have been complaining that they were facing harassment with house owners asking them to vacate their rented accommodation besides facing harassment from locals.

The Centre and state governments had issued appeals to citizens not to harass healthcare professionals, who are on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19. Earlier this month, doctors in Telangana were attacked following the death of a COVID-19 patient while two woman doctors and civil authorities who went to a locality in Indore for COVID-19 screening were attacked.

Doctors have demanded deployment of paramilitary forces in hospitals while the Delhi government has sought police deployment in hospitals and quarantine centres to tackle unruly situations.