PATNA: A group of villagers in Bihar’s Samastipur district attacked a dozen migrant labourers, who had returned from Kolkata, and a police team escorting them to a quarantine centre.
Three policemen were injured when the villagers, including several women, pelted stones at the ambulance carrying the migrants and the police vehicle taking them to the quarantine centre set up in a middle school in Rupali village late Saturday evening. The vehicles were badly damaged. According to sources, the attack took place as villagers were scared after six migrants, who had returned from Kolkata, had tested positive a few days ago in the district.
Senior police officers rushed to the area and pacified the villagers. ADG, police headquarters, Jitendra Kumar said a case was registered against 25 persons and attempts were being made to arrest them.
There have been reports of migrants creating ruckus at quarantine centres in Nawada, Banka, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Saharsa and other districts. They were agitated over poor food and lack of basic facilities like drinking water. In fact, 25 migrants escaped from Katihar and 35 from Nawada in the last few days, but they were traced and brought back.