Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)

Mysuru, Apr 22: Close on the heels of the incident at Padayaranapura, Bengaluru where corona warriors who had visited the area to lead people suspected of coronavirus infection to quarantine facility were attacked, comes a report from Mysuru where an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) was derided with abusive words and life threats.

The three ruffians who were involved with the act stand arrested.

An ASHA worker in question Sumayya Firdous had advised Mehboob, Kaleem and Jeeshan who were sitting near a shop dealing in scrap, to wear face masks and to maintain social distance from each other. This angered the men, who not only hurled abusive words at the health worker but also threatened to kill her. Later, policemen from N R station here arrested the trio.

Sumayya Firdous

District in-charge minister S T Somashekhar who was on a visit to the city, and state minister for medical education Dr K Sudhakar met the ASHA worker concerned.

In the meanwhile, there are plans to vest the police with more powers through an ordinance being worked out to extend protection to corona warriors. It is proposed to scrap the Epidemic Diseases Act and bring in a new law in its place. Some of the points contained in the National Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act are being included in the new ordinance to give additional teeth to the workers involved with disease control.

The Act proposes to make obstructing police, attack, and abuse punishable offences. The quantum of sentence under Goonda Act is being enhanced, and the accused would not be getting bail. Time frame will be fixed for getting essential goods and police will have the power to take action on their own in case of disturbances. In the case of damage to property, the asset of the accused would be impounded.