A 24-year-old man was lynched to death by his neighbours in Bihar's Sitamarhi for sharing information with health officials about coronavirus suspects in the area. The shocking incident took place on Monday and the victim has been identified as Bablu Kumar, who worked in Maharashtra and returned to his home just two months back.
Kumar had noticed that two people have returned to their homes from Maharashtra and were roaming freely, instead of isolating themselves, a mandatory measure for returnees amid the coronavirus spread. He informed the local COVID-19 control room about them, following which health officials tested the suspects and put them in quarantine.
In the times of coronavirus pandemic, Kumar's responsible behaviour angered the family members of the suspects who decided to take revenge. On Monday, while Kumar was returning from a relative's place, a group of men allegedly attacked him and beaten to death.
The police have registered a case against seven suspects -- Thaga Mahto, Sudhir Kumar, Vikash Mahto, Madan Mahto, Deepak Kumar and Munna Mahto -- upon receiving a complaint from Kumar's brother Guddu. Two of the accused have also been arrested.
Coronavirus lockdown triggers an exodus of migrant workers
The government nation-wide lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an exodus of lakhs of migrant workers, who are left without job, shelter and food. Trains, buses and other modes of public and private transport services were suspended, forcing the migrant workers to walk hundreds of kilometers to reach their homes and native villages in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Recently, thousands of migrants have returned to Bihar from Delhi and other states. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed officials to set up quarantine camps at border districts where migrant workers coming from Delhi and other states will be kept for 14 days.
