Srikakulam: 10 booked for preventing entry of sanitary workers into colony

Srikakulam: A criminal case has been registered against total 10 persons at Tekkali police station on Tuesday on charges of preventing entry of sanitary workers into their colony and insulting them after they had participated in funeral of a Covid patient.

According to police and revenue officials, six sanitary workers of Bhulokamathaveedhi in Tekkali mandal centre performed funeral to a deceased person at Meliaputti mandal centre on Monday.

The deceased was found Covid positive after his death. On learning about it, residents of Bhulokamathaveedhi in Tekkali prevented the entry of the six workers into their colony and their homes.

As a result, they stayed all along the night outside their colony. On learning about it on Tuesday, Srikakulam District Collector expresses ire and directed police to register case against the persons who prevented the six workers from reaching their homes.

Basing on the orders, police and revenue officials identified the 10 accused and the police registered case against them under Sections 341 and 188 of Indian Penal Code and also under Section 51(B) of Disaster Management Act.

It may be noted that 10 days ago, sanitary workers at Palasa municipal town shifted the body of a covid patient to a burial ground on an excavator and a week days ago grama panchayat workers shifted the body of a Covid patient to another burial ground on a garbage tractor for performing funerals. In the two incidents too, the accused were booked under the Disaster Management Act.

On the other hand, District Collector J Nivas received notices from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday regarding shifting of a dead body of a covid patient through an excavator at Palasa 10 days ago. The NHRC sought a detailed report on the incident.