Clashes erupt as migrants refused entry by villagers

Lucknow, May 21

With villagers not letting migrants enter their homes even after completion of their quarantine period, clashes are being reported from several districts.

In some cases, clashes have been reported over property issues. Around 24 cases of clashes have been reported in Prayagraj alone in the past five days.

Fifteen such incidents were reported in Pratapgarh district, where one person died and left more than 12 injured in separate cases.

Additional SP (Pratapgarh) Surendra Dwivedi said there were over 12 incidents, where migrants had either clashed with their family members or co-villagers over different issues.

He said a majority of the migrants were drivers. “The verbal disputes took a violent turn and left family members injured. The migrants are also involved in scuffles with people of the same village after they are called ‘corona carriers’,” he said.

In another incident reported from Teunga village in Pratapgarh district, a 32-year old migrant was allegedly killed by a group of nine villagers.

Though the police claimed to have solved the case with the arrest of five persons, the incident sparked off tension in the village.

Inspector General (Prayagraj) KP Singh said: “We have issued instructions to all police chiefs in the Prayagraj range to take corrective measures and each police station of the range has been asked to maintain the data and details of migrants returning to their native places during the lockdown.”

He also asked police officials to maintain dispute register at all police stations. — IANS

1,230 test positive, UP’s Barabanki new hotspot

Uttar Pradesh on Thursday saw a quantum jump in Covid cases, with 1,230 persons testing positive, including 95 in Barabanki, officials said. “Over 5.42 lakh migrants were screened by health workers and among them 1,230 have been found positive for Covid. Samples of 46,142 have been sent for testing,” said Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Amit Mohan Prasad. PTI