ASHA worker manhandled and abused during COVID-19 survey in UP, 2 people arrested

Two people in UP were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly verbally abusing and manhandling an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker in Takiya area in Bhauri Ganj for asking information about people who have come in from other states, especially those who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi. On April 6, ASHA worker, Beena Yadav, arrived at the Takiya area to collect data regarding the same however some people verbally abused her and tore her register. 

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"I went for a survey to make a list of the people returning from other states and abroad. Some people gave me the information peacefully. But some others verbally abused me, tore my register and manhandled me," said the ASHA worker to news agency ANI.

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On the basis of her complaint, police have registered an FIR against five people. "Two have been arrested. The rest of the arrests will be made soon and action will be taken against all of them," said Circle Officer Kripa Shankar Kanaujiya. 

ASHA workers along with health officials have been putting their lives on risk and conducting door-to-door surveys to collect information about people who have returned from other states or those who returned to the state after attending a religious congregation in Delhi.

Read: Doctors, Healthcare Workers Are Warriors, Have To Be Protected, SC Tells Centre

ASHA worker in Karnataka manhandled

A few days ago a similar incident had happened after Asha workers engaged to conduct coronavirus survey in certain minority-dominated areas in Karnataka were allegedly manhandled prompting the Karnataka government to issue a stern warning to the offenders. A video had gone viral which showed a group of health workers who had gone to  Sadiq Layout in Hegde Nagar being 'gheraoed' by some residents, their mobile phones snatched and all of them abused.

(With Agency Inputs)

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