Doctor, 3 paramedics hurt as mob pelts stones at ambulance; 17 arrested

Four persons were injured as a mob tried to stop a medical team from taking a coronavirus-infected man into isolation and hurled stones at their ambulance in Nawabpura area in Moradabad on Wednesday. Police arrested 17 people including seven women allegedly involved in the incident, a Home department official said.

They have been booked under various sections of the IPC, Criminal Law Amendment Act and Epidemic Act, the official said. The FIR was registered at Nagphani police station. In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said those behind the attack will face action under the tough National Security Act and the cost of damage to public property will be recovered from them.

Officials said a doctor and three paramedics were hurt and an ambulance and a police vehicle damaged in the stone-pelting. Moradabad Chief Medical Officer Milind Garg said the mob suddenly appeared as the ambulance was driving away with a man who had tested positive for coronavirus, and started pelting stones. They tried to stop the medical team from taking him away, officials said.

Moradabad District Magistrate Rakesh Kumar Singh said the situation has been brought under control and police deployed in large numbers in the area. Condemning the attack, Adityanath in a statement said the attack on policemen, health workers and those involved in the sanitisation campaign is an unpardonable and most condemnable crime. He directed the district administration to identify those responsible and deal strictly with them.