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UP doctor alleges viral video provoked mob to attack his team in Moradabad, police to probe

Moradabad SP says police using footage from mobile phones, CCTV and even a drone camera in their probe, and will take action if anyone has been spreading rumours.

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Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police have intensified their investigation into the attack on a medical team conducting tests for Covid-19 in Moradabad district, and arrested 17 people, including 10 men and seven women.

Amid all this, Dr S.C. Agarwal, a member of the team that was attacked, has told the media that a viral video about alleged mistreatment and mismanagement at quarantine centres might be the main factor that provoked the mob.

Agarwal also alleged that local residents had many misconceptions about the Covid-19 crisis, which could have resulted in their violent behaviour.

The police are now looking into Agarwal’s statement.


Also read: ‘Do you want to reduce India’s population?’ Salman Khan calls out lockdown violators


What the doctor said

Agarwal said he and his team had gone to Moradabad to test relatives of Sartaj, who had died of the novel coronavirus on 13 April.

“We had successfully managed to take Sartaj’s wife and his daughter into quarantine for further testing. But things went awry when we reached a place near Nagphani police station to collect his two sons, brother and nephew,” he said.

“We had already talked to them on the phone. When we reached there, people started to assemble near the ambulance in the form of a mob. Some of them started to say that during quarantine period, food is not being provided to persons of a specific community, and they are left to starve,” Agarwal said.

“Some people said there are several videos circulating in which quarantined persons are saying that they are not being provided meals. Hearing all this, other people in the crowd got agitated and started to shout maro inhe (beat them up),” the doctor added.

“We tried to convince them but nobody was ready to listen to anything. The mob surrounded us from all sides and started to lash us. Stones were also pelted from nearby buildings. It was a horrendous scene. Several of my colleagues and I got injured.”


Also read: UP doctor dies, social media posts claim it was after she was attacked by Covid-19 patient


Strict action against those spreading rumours

Speaking about Dr Agarwal’s claims, Moradabad city SP Amit Anand told ThePrint that the UP Police will also investigate the viral video angle.

Anand said strict action will be taken against all those involved in spreading rumours. “There is no lapse or negligence taking place at the quarantine centres. All persons are being provided adequate food. Some miscreants are spreading false rumours through social media and the police will surely take action against them,” Anand said.

The SP added that the police are investigating the case with the help of mobile phone footage and CCTV cameras, and that a drone camera has also captured a video of stones being pelted from a house. “In this footage, some women are also seen. It is also being investigated,” he said.

Child rights body gets involved

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also expressed apprehensions of there being a deliberate ploy to engage minors in attack plans in this incident.

The NCPCR has appealed to the police to identify those who instigated children, and has asked them to take action under Section 83 (2) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo has also tweeted about this.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath has issued orders to invoke the National Security Act in this incident. The state government also plans to extract fines from the accused persons for damaging public property.


Also read: Indore doctor returns for coronavirus screening day after mob attack, says I’m not afraid


 

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Why do we find that all such incidents of violence involve only Muslims, who do not want to be tested and quarantined? Doctors and medical staff being lynched by Muslim murderous mob is a daily occurrences, which includes woman and children. Notice the similar stone pelting by Muslim children and women in Kashmir? This is turning out to be a well planned assault on the state, by playing the victim card, when prevented by the authorities. The present scenario is similar to the one prevailing during pre partition days, when Muslim seperatists supported by the traitorous communists worked for the nation’s division. Taking the similar incidents occurring around the country into consideration, and supported by the left wing human rights, media and other activists, it is becoming clear that these sections are again planning for further partition.

  2. Attempts to whitewash crime against humanity started. It took some time. Busy with the Ahmedabad story success that has managed to trap US?

  3. This is the the result of communal propaganda and stigmatisation… UP CM only knows how to rub salt on wounds… and who will trust the UP Police who always behaved partisan way indulging in hostlality to a perticular community with making COVID 19 crisis as to make it a communal flare up and hatred.

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