Medical team on way to give medicines to COVID patient attacked in Uttar Pradesh

Ballia, Apr 19: Three government medical personnel, including two doctors, and their driver were injured after their car was attacked by a group of people when they had gone to a village here to give medicines to a COVID-19 patient, police said on Monday.

The incident took place at Paswan Chowk village on Sunday and according to a complaint lodged at the Bairia police station, the medical team's vehicle was surrounded by about 60 people and it was attacked, they said.

"The team had gone to the village to give Ghanshyam, a COVID-19 patient, his medicines and check on his home isolation," Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Yadav said.

In his complaint, medical officer Neeraj Kumar Singh, who was injured in the incident, said "around 60 persons, including women and children, surrounded our government vehicle, and attacked the team", according to Yadav.

"Members of the team somehow managed to escape from there. Dr Neeraj Kumar Singh, Dr Amit Kumar Gautam, lab assistant Upendra Prasad and driver Lal Bahadur Yadav were injured," he said, adding that a man, Jitendra, has been arrested in this case.

Ballia District Magstrate Aditi Singh said the administration is mulling to initiate action under the stringent National Security Agency (NSA).