Asha Workers Allegedly Manhandled During COVID-19 Survey In Karnataka

In another incident of health staff involved in coronavirus containment facing trouble, two ASHA workers were allegedly manhandled at Kudachi in Belagavi district in Karnataka on Tuesday while undertaking a survey following detection of four COVID-19 cases with Tablighi links in the area, police said.

The district authorities have intensified door-to-door survey in Kudachi after four people who had attended the Tablighi jamat religious conference in New Delhi last month tested positive for coronavirus in nearby Raibagh.

"Today when two ASHA workers went to Kudachi, some miscreants snatched away their phones. We are investigating whether they were beaten up also," a police officer investigating the matter told PTI.

A few days ago, four other ASHA workers at Kudachi in Belagavi district were also manhandled when they went for a door-to-door survey and police have arrested five people from a minority community. They have been remanded to judicial custody by a court.

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda had on Monday condemned incidents of attacks on doctors and health department workers and sought protection for them.