Malappuram: Three youths who assaulted a nurse during the measles-rubella vaccination drive at GLP school at Athipatta near Valancheri on Thursday were arrested on Friday. They were identified as Parangattuparambil Safvan, 24, Parangattuparambil Mubashir, 23, and Faisal Babu, 24. They had attacked Shyamala Bai, a junior public health nurse at Edayur public health centre, and injured her hand while the MR vaccination was underway at the school. They also damaged Shyamala’s mobile phone.
The youths were taken into custody by the police from their homes on Friday morning and slapped with non-bailable charges for atrocities against woman, criminal intimidation and illegal gathering. The three were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Tirur and remanded.
The police have also booked nine others in connection with the incident and they were absconding. The gang tried to stop the vaccination programme and created a ruckus alleging that some of the children were vaccinated without parental consent which is not mandatory. The incident triggered widespread protest by government medical officers and nursing staff who alleged that the authorities had failed to ensure the safety of those performing official duty.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) boycotted outpatient services at government hospitals for an hour demanding stern action against the culprits involved in the assaults at various places. The strike move in Malappuram was withdrawn after district collector Amit Meena ensured adequate protection and safety for the heath officials to carry out the vaccination drive. The Kerala Gover-nment Public Nurses and Supervisors Union also threatened to boycott the drive if the accused were not arrested by Friday
