Covid19 woes:: Inhabitants in many bordering villages in Tripura are flouting lockdown posing threat to public health. Gatherings, cross border movements are rampant
Enewstime Desk
Agartala, April 01, 2020: Inhabitants in several bordering villages in Tripura are flouting lockdown norms deliberately and posing threat to public health. Public gatherings and cross border movements are rampant in many of such villages
In total disregard to the prevailing lockdown and restrictions on gatherings a section of villagers of Yakubnagar and other bordering areas under Dharmanagar in North Tripura is knowingly disobeying restriction norms and violating lockdown.
In Bordering villages under Karbook sub-division in Gomati district, unrestrained and illegal cross border movements remain unabated during Covid19 threat and lockdown.
Covid19 woes: Gatherings violating lockdown norms
At Yakubnagar, Banga and other adjoining border villages in North Tripura, a section of people are grossly violating lockdown norms. People at Banga organized a Football tournament on March 31. When Police personnel asked the organizers to stop the tournament, miscreants threatened and chased away Police force. Later, large contingent of security personnel rushed to the village and dispersed gathering. Security personnel also raided the village in search of accused persons who organized the tournament and threatened Police force – however, most of the accused except one crossed the India- Bangladesh border. Sources alleged, a community feast was also planned after the tournament.
“The accused persons cross over to Bangladesh illegally every morning and return to villages in the evening. As legal routes are closed and these persons are crossing the border illegally, they are not undergoing any kind of tests. These people are posing serious challenge in fight against coronavirus”, local sources alleged.
Resentment, Worry
As the report of holding Football tournament spread, serious resentment among larger section of the society. “The administration must take steps ensuring full compliance with lockdown norms. Considering aggressive and unruly character of section of inhabitants, administration must deploy adequate security forces in bordering areas and foil any attempt to violate lockdown norms as well as stop illegal border crossing”, a Dharmanagar based teacher commented.
Covid19 woes: Cross border movement in Karbook
Cross border movements remained unabated in several villages under Karbook sub-division in Gomati District. In Shilachhari, Debendra Para, Kaptali and other bordering villages, people from Bangladesh are sneaking into, almost regularly. Despite BSF vigil at the border, these people are managing to enter into Tripura villages raising risks of transmission of Covid19. As the cross border movement is completely shut down in the wake of Covid19 outbreak, unrestrained inflow of Bangladeshi has put safety of public health under threat, local sources claimed.
Defiant, aggressive villagers
Tripura government had already made it clear that Bangladesh border must remain under strict surveillance and Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb warned of stern action if anyone found to be sheltering Bangladeshis illegally. At this point of time such football tournaments and cross border movements were viewed seriously and many felt a hell bent design behind such activities.
National lockdown was announced to combat spread of dreaded Covid-19 virus – while people across the State are sincerely following the restrictions for own’s safety despite hardship – a section of villagers of bordering areas seems to be determined to violate the restrictions, sources said. These villagers are so much ferocious and aggressive that no one dares to challenge them – not even Police personnel comprising 7-8 policemen, sources said.
