Polio vaccinators mishandled by civilians amid police negligence

Rawalpindi-Extreme lack of coordination between the police and district administration regarding providing security cover to polio teams unearthed on Tuesday when two members of polio team were allegedly manhandled by a group of four young men in Chakra village, informed sources.

The four men not only refused to allow polio team to administer polio drops to children under five years of age in a house, but also snatched mobile phone from a team member besides scuffling with them and hurling threats of dire consequences, sources added. “Leave the area immediately or else we will beat you badly,” the sources quoted the attackers’ words.

On source report, a team of local police visited the area and collected information about the occurrence of sadistic incident, they said. A police officer claimed the anti-polio team came under attack was not registered with police for security cover, while exposing poor coordination between police and district administration.

According to sources, a two-member anti polio team namely Abdul Ghafoor and Atif Ali reached in street number 1 of Saada village of Chakra in Union Council (UC) Girja for vaccinating the children. As the team knocked the door of a house, a young man appeared from inside and started shouting at the anti-polio team. They said the young man also called two or three other fellows who manhandled the polio team. “As one of the member of polio team tried to write on the gate of house word (R) reflecting refusal, a man came forward and snatched the marker from his hand,” sources said, adding that another man snatched mobile phone from the other member who just wanted to inform his seniors about resistance and refusal by the young men. The occurrence of incident swelled shock waves in the area as the high-ups of heath department and the police rushed to the scene and interrogated the incident.

SHO Naseerabad Sub Inspector (SI) Amir Raffique, when approached, confirmed a polio team faced humiliation at hands of some young men in Chakra. He said a police team visited area and collected information from eyewitnesses, adding that the security branch of Rawalpindi police had only forwarded him the names of six teams for providing them with security. “But as precautionary measures, I am shielding nine teams which are launching door-to-door campaign in my area,” he said. He disclosed the team came under attack in Saada village was not registered with police station for security cover. “Police are interrogating the matter and will take action against accused as per law,” he said.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/19-Feb-2020/polio-vaccinators-mishandled-by-civilians-amid-police-negligence