4 arrested for assaulting woman health worker at vaccination centre in Assam

The incident allegedly took place on Tuesday afternoon at the vaccination centre in Dholai Molai ME School. The health worker alleged that the men also tried to destroy some important documents at the centre

Four persons have been arrested in Hailakandi district of Assam for allegedly assaulting a woman health worker during a vaccination drive. The four accused have been identified as Sohail Ahmed, Badrul Islam, Kamaluddin Kabeer and Shaharul Islam. All of them are aged between 20 and 22 years.

The accused after their arrest. (Sourced)

The incident allegedly took place on Tuesday afternoon at the vaccination centre in Dholai Molai ME School.

Health worker Sunali Deb filed a complaint and cases were registered under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code, Disaster Management Act 2005, and Assam Medical Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage to property) Act 2011.

According to Deb, around 12noon on Tuesday, during a vaccination drive, while people stood in queues to get inoculated, the accused started shouting at the health workers. As the community health officer of Kathlicherra block primary health centre, she tried to control the situation, she said. But the men not used abusive words against her and also allegedly tried to physically assault her. They also destroyed some important documents at the vaccination centre, she said.

“They pushed me and tried to slap me. As a health worker, I have never faced such humiliation. I want police to take strict action against them,” she said.

Superintendent of police of Hailakandi district, Ramandeep Kaur said, “We have taken cases against them under several sections. They will be produced before court and we have appealed for appropriate action against them.”

Last month a junior doctor was assaulted in Hailakandi Civil Hospital after a patient died. Police arrested two of the accused after a week but they were granted bail the next day.