Delhi: COVID-19 warriors attacked in Naraina containment zone, probe on

Several Civil Defence Volunteers were attacked by locals in the Naraina containment zone in the national capital on Sunday. The incident took place after civil defence workers went inside the containment zone Wz 551 in Naraina area to distribute food and other essential supplies, an official privy to the incident told Republic TV.

The matter aggravated after the locals in the vicinity tried to break rules and move out of the containment zone. When stopped by the civil defence volunteers, the residents in the hotspot area lost their cool and attacked the COVID warriors.

All miscreants have been detained by the police. A complaint has been lodged in this connection. Investigation in this regard is underway. Notably, the civil defence volunteers are the personnel who also provide medicines at doorsteps to COVID-19 positive patients under home quarantine. 

In the past three months ever since the nation has been put under lockdown, several attacks on COVID warriors have been reported.

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Law against attack on health workers

Prime minister Narendra Modi-led central government in April this year passed an ordinance under which any person who attacks a health worker who is treating COVID-19 cases can be jailed for a maximum of seven years. The ordinance was brought in to amend the Epidemic Act.

The Union Cabinet approved promulgation of Ordinance to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic situation making acts of violence against the healthcare workers as cognizable and non-bailable offences. Under the new legislation, attack on health workers is a cognizable and non-bailable offence.

For timely action, the ordinance provides a period of 30 days under which investigation of the attack against health workers must be completed. It says the verdict in such cases should be delivered within one year.

The law was formulated after cases of violence against health care professionals increased and the doctors' associations had urged the central government to chalk more stringent laws.

Coronavirus cases in the national capital have crossed the 50,000 mark and stand at 59,746. Of the total number actives cases are 24,558 and those recovered 33,013. The death toll in the national capital stands at 2,175.

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