This story is from May 12, 2020

Covid clashes in Hooghly, 17 held

Hooghly: Section 144 imposed in Telinipara after violent clashes
Chandernagore: A spate of Covid-positive cases in Urdi Bazar here on Saturday night and later at Telinipara triggered sporadic sectarian clashes and stray reports of bombing late on Sunday night.
Police, led by commissioner Humayun Kabir, had to lathicharge to disperse the rival groups. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been clamped in the area and 17 people arrested.
Police and the health department are medically screening every household in affected zones.
The Bengal home department in a statement on Monday said: “Last evening, swift and strong action was taken in Telinipara against those who were trying to disturb peace. The situation was immediately brought under control. Telinipara is peaceful now. Police will not allow any provocation and strict action will be taken against anyone who tries to create disturbance, including those who are posting and circulating false information.”
BJP MP Locket Chatterjee, who was scheduled to visit the Annapurna temple, was stopped by police off GT Road. She alleged that the state was hiding figures and sparking panic among residents. Hooghly district president of TMC Dilip Yadavinsisted that BJP had instigated the sectarian clashes. “This is a time to help people, not divide them,” he said.
Resident Sheikh Shamsuddin said since all the cases were asymptomatic, those affected refused to be quarantined. “Hence, police and the administration had to step in.” Commissioner Kabir told TOI that the situation in Telinipara was “under control”.
The sectarian flare-up did not impact the intensive containment measures in Urdi Bazar, which has emerged as the worst-hit single cluster in Bengal. The locality, so far, has recorded 48 Covid cases. All these patients, who were housed at a government quarantine centre in Singur, are now being shifted to different district Covid hospitals. Telinipara, in comparison, has recorded only three cases.
“Besides house-to-house thermal screening, we have arranged to deliver food to residents. All the 33 wards have containment zones. Urdi Bazaar spans wards 11 and 12,” municipal corporation administrator Swapan Kundu said. Chandernagore SDO Moumita Saha added: “The administration is sanitising Urdi Bazaar every day.”
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