59 held for violence in Covid-hit Bengaluru area

Tension prevailed at Padarayanapura in Bengaluru late Sunday after some secondary contacts of COVID-19 patients along with a few locals tried to remove barricades and argued with officials and medical staff, who were trying to shift them to the quarantine facility.

Bengaluru (Karnataka): Fifty-nine people have been arrested for violence, assault on Covid-19 warriors and damaging public properties in the coronavirus-hit areas of Karnataka capital.

"We have filed 5 cases and arrested 59 people, including many youngsters, in the Padarayanapura area, the city's south-west suburb, for attacking healthcare workers, inciting violence and damaging public properties on Sunday," said Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, here on Monday.

The incident occurred when around 40 secondary contact persons were being shifted to the quarantine centres. The people related to them attacked the women coronavirus warriors, doctors and police personnel.

The area had been sealed last week after three Covid-19 cases were found. All three had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in New Delhi's Nizamuddin in March.

"Security has been beefed up with additional deployment of the police personnel. The situation is under control. Probe is on to find the instigators of the attack and those involved in damaging public properties," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Ramesh Bhanot told media.

Video clips that went viral on the social media showed three groups attacking the warriors, doctors and the cops with sticks, stones and destroying a make-shift office in a tent with chairs, tables and stationary material.

"Barricades placed on roads to prevent vehicular movement in the sealed area were scattered," Bhanot said.

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai visited the area with Rao, Bhanot and other senior police officials for a spot assessment.

"Serious action will be taken against the perpetrators of the violent incident, especially assaulting the women Covid-19 warriors and doctors," Bommai said.

Condemning the incident, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa asked Rao to provide full security to the healthcare personnel, including Asha workers, doctors and paramedics, leading the war against coronavirus.

"No attack on Covid-19 warriors will be tolerated," tweeted Yediyurappa in Kannada later.

(With inputs from IANS)