Jajpur: A team of medical staff was beaten up by some locals at Kasapa Panchayat under Dasarathpur block of Odisha’s Jajpur district recently.
According to reports, Jajpur district administration had decided to conduct swab test of the residents of Kasapa Panchayat at the Brahmachari Patna UP School. Four days ago, the locals were informed of the date, place and time of the swab test.
The Health workers from Mangalpur Community Health Center arrived on the spot as per the schedule on Wednesday. The team included Dr Jayaprakash Mishra, Supervisor Amulya Kumar Das, Health worker Santosh Behera and Sanghamitra Raut arrived.
They reportedly collected the swab of 52 people between 12 PM and 1.30 pm.
The medical team waited for about 2 hours, thinking that some more people might come for swab tests. But since no one came for the swab test, the medical team packed all the PPE kits and equipment worn for the swab test and got in the car and started to return to Mangalpur Community Health Centre.
At the same time, two women stopped the health workers and asked them to collect their swab for COVID test. However, the health staff advised them to come for the test on the following day. However, suddenly, three to four locals came to the front of the vehicle and argued with the health worker by using slang. Besides, they drag the health workers and driver out of the vehicle beat up them.
On the other hand, Dr Jay Prakash Mishra lodged a written complaint against the attackers namely Buddhadeb Behera, Devendra Behera and Abhay Das.
Based on the allegations, the police registered a case under sections 354/21, 341, 333, 29, 324, 506 and 34 of the IPC and arrested and prosecuted an attacker named Buddhadeb Behera. He was sent to jail as the court denied him bail.
On the other hand, the staff of Mangalpur Community Health Centre has stopped conducting testing of the swab samples demanding the arrest of all the accused.
Meanwhile, some people are allegedly trying to put political pressure on the police to cover up the incident.
Ms Kalinga