Ranchi: A family of five in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh has alleged it was facing social boycott over a rumour that they were suffering from Covid-19 and were not even allowed to drawn water from their village tube well.
A video showing two hungry kids of the family crying for biscuits went viral on social media and prompted chief minister Hemant Soren on Thursday to ask authorities to take immediate action and provide relief.
“My appeal to people is that do not pay attention on rumours. In this epidemic situation, we can fight the Corona virus and rumour only with social support,” Soren said in a tweet.
Geeta Devi, the mother of the two, said on April 18 a few villagers alleged she was suffering from Covid-19. “When I asked them how could they know? One of them alleged that my brother in-law came from Chattisgarh and he is suffering from Covid-19. I tried to convince them nobody came from anywhere,” said Devi, whose husband, Ishwar Kumar Mahto, a labourer, has been jobless due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
She said the next day the villagers prevented her from drawing water. “No food was cooked that day in absence of water. To prove the villagers wrong, we went for a checkup on April 19. The report came negative but the health officials asked us to remain in home quarantine for 14 days,” she said. Devi added despite showing the report, the villagers asked them leave the village.
{{/usCountry}}She said the next day the villagers prevented her from drawing water. “No food was cooked that day in absence of water. To prove the villagers wrong, we went for a checkup on April 19. The report came negative but the health officials asked us to remain in home quarantine for 14 days,” she said. Devi added despite showing the report, the villagers asked them leave the village.
{{/usCountry}}“The next day, the villagers did not even allow me refill my LPG cylinder. They are not allowing us to even come out of our house,” Devi said. She sought police help on April 21.
Dhananjay Kumar, the in charge of the local police station, said they helped the family get water and convinced the villagers ignore rumours. “If the family was harassed again, we will lodge a case against the villagers.”