E-Paper
Female members of polio team attacked
IN A shocking incident, a resident of Dhondipur, near Hamidia Girls' Inter College attacked the female members of 'House-to-House' polio team here on Thursday. Following the incident, the angry members of the polio teams, deputed in Kareli and other sensitive areas, suspended their activity and blocked the road opposite Dufferin Women Hospital.
IN A shocking incident, a resident of Dhondipur, near Hamidia Girls' Inter College attacked the female members of 'House-to-House' polio team here on Thursday.
Following the incident, the angry members of the polio teams, deputed in Kareli and other sensitive areas, suspended their activity and blocked the road opposite Dufferin Women Hospital.
They demanded their security and action against the residents who attacked the female members. This was the second incident of attack on the team in Dhondipur area.
Trouble started when three-member House to House polio team of Dufferin Women's Hospital, tried to put a 'mark' on the house of a resident belonging to minority community.
The resident of the house first stopped them from putting the mark on his house but, when the female members requested for allowing them to put a small mark somewhere near his gate for 'official verification', he pushed them and allegedly started beating them.
"He also pulled one of the young female members by her hair, abused her and threatened to kill her.
Later, he pushed another female member so hard that she fell on the road. Both the women sustained injuries, following which they decided to boycott the work and demanded action against the assailant.
The other team members also joined them and staged chakka jam on the GT Road near Dufferin Women Hospital, said Dr Kalim Akmal, nodal officer of the Pulse Polio Programme.
Dr Akmal said the agitated members of the House-to-House teams were assured that they would be provided adequate security in the sensitive areas. They were also requested to resume their work.
"The department has also filed a complaint at Shahganj police station regarding the incident.
The copy of it will also be given to the DM and SSP. I also had a talk with the CO and the city magistrate," he added.
Officer in-charge of House-to-House teams under Dufferin Hospital, Dr Maya Devi said this was the second incident in the Dhondipur area, when young members of the team were attacked by the local residents. "The team members, some of them are very young, are so afraid that they no longer want to continue the work. The incident should be strongly protested, else the very purpose of the drive will get defeated," she added.
Chief medical officer Dr Shantimal Singhavi, who also rushed to the spot, said he assured the workers of taking up the matter at higher level.
"The workers are determined not to continue the house-to-house activity, until they are provided security," he added.
