A dispute over information provided to the 104 COVID-19 number informing about an alleged
coronavirus suspect triggered a free for all between two groups at Mariabandh, Calconda- Margao on Saturday evening.
Members of both the groups were later arrested and lodged at the Margao police lock-up. Two minors, who were part of the scuffle, will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, Apna Ghar, the police added.
While Fazal Sheikh had claimed that he and his brother and others were assaulted by a group,
comprising Munnu Sayed and others, a cross complaint was lodged by Sayed Khaja Hussain against Fazal and four others for forming unlawful assembly and assaulting one Abdul Razak and others in the fight.
The dispute arose after information was conveyed to the 104 COVID-19 number stating that one person, who had reportedly come from Belagavi, was found coughing inside his house.
Accordingly, a COVID-19 team with an ambulance rushed to Mariabandh and examined the person based on the information.
Fazal Sheikh has claimed that he was assaulted by a group of persons, suspecting that he had alerted the health officials. While saying that he had indeed helped the health officials, Fazal in
his video that went viral wondered how his identity was leaked to the rival group and demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant take cognizance of the matter.
DySP Margao Serafino Dias, however, has begged to differ. He pointed out that the 104 COVID
team had no role in leaking any information on the identity of the informer, saying Fazal himself had informed the rival group that he had alerted the 104 COVID team.
As the Margao police received complaints and cross complaints in the matter, the police arrested a total of six persons from both groups. Fazal Sheikh, who is named as an accused, is presently admitted in Hospicio hospital.
