A housekeeping employee at the Covid-19 hospital in Raiganj has alleged that his family members are threatened and asked to leave by neighbours though he has been staying back at the workplace.

At Chanchal in Malda district, a police team was attacked by youths who gathered at a spot in violation of the lockdown.

Bappa Mondal, the housekeeping employee, said he hadn’t gone back home ever since the private nursing home where he was working had been chosen to treat coronavirus positive patients.

“Even then, my family members are being threatened by some local people. They have been asked to inform me that I should not visit them. The neighbours said my family should not even accept currency notes I send to them,” said Mondal, a resident of Bogram in Raiganj.

“Some of the neighbours have also asked my family members to leave the locality and stay at some other place till the Covid-19 pandemic is dealt with. Till date, not a single coronavirus positive case has been reported in Raiganj or in North Dinajpur district as a whole,” he added.

Sources said the state health department and police had been informed about the threats faced by Mondal’s family.

In Malda district, Chanchal police inspector-in-charge Sukumar Ghosh, along with two sub-inspectors and some civic volunteers, spotted 12 youths gathered at Nowgachhia in violation of lockdown norms. The youths were not even wearing masks.

“When the youths were asked to disperse, they entered into an altercation with the police. Three-four youths tried to snatch away batons from civic volunteers and tried to stop a policeman from click photos with his smart phone. Sensing that the situation could become worse, reinforcements were sent,” said a police source.

The police have arrested Sunil Sheikh, one of the alleged attackers, while raids are on to nab others.

Pool test in Malda

Authorities of the Malda Medical College and Hospital have said they are planning to conduct pool tests, which involve testing of more than five swab samples together.

“Covid-19 test has started in Malda. Around 50 samples are being tested regularly and none of them has been tested positive so far. As we need lesser kits for pool tests, we are planning to introduce them,” said Amit Dan, the superintendent of the hospital.