Asha workers have been deployed by the Karnataka government for the door-to-door collection of data of people having symptoms of coronavirus.
Bengaluru| Accredited Social Health Activist, Asha workers were allegedly manhandled in the Sadiq layout area on Thursday, where they were deployed to collect data on people having coronavirus symptoms.
Asha workers have been deployed by the Karnataka government for the door-to-door collection of data of people having symptoms such as fever, cold, cough, breathlessness amid the coronavirus crisis.
Asha workers have been a bridge between the health administration and the common public in India. They have been working since Mid- March to collect data of the people who could be affected by the COVID-19.
A video of Asha Worker, Krishnaveni, is going viral on Twitter where she could be heard telling how they were assaulted by the mob after the announcement from the mosque was made.
@ishingapurba
Now mosque is being used for this as well.An Asha worker, Krishnaveni was attacked in Bengaluru while collecting data on corona virus after an announcement was made from the mosque. pic.twitter.com/icyJoUjixH
— विश्वजीत पाल ️ (@Biswajitpal2829) April 2, 2020
She said, “The locals came out of their houses and they caught us. We told them that we are here for work but they shouted at us saying who asked you to come here. They even snatched our bags and phones and we couldn’t call anyone. A lot of people came down on the roads. It has been five years since I am working in this field but I’ve never seen this. Every house I go to, they shout at us. We are here for their health and they torture us.”
She also recalled that around a hundred people came out after an announcement was made from the mask that they were there to collect data. The Asha workers tried to contact the Police and their boss but the police didn’t come immediately.
The workers also claimed that their other colleagues were assaulted too in other parts.
Police rushed to the spot and intervened to rescue the workers from there. This is not the first time when health workers have been attacked by locals.
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