MANSEHRA, Jan 3: Police have arrested two brothers in Baffa over allegedly threatening a lady health worker of dire consequences for administering anti-polio drops to children in their village.

The FIR was lodged on the written complaint of lady health worker Shabnam Bibi. In her application addressed to the district health officer, she stated that Shamsur Rehman and his brother Saifur Rehman threatened her of dire consequences during the anti-polio drive late last month.They told her that she wouldn’t be spared if she again visited their village Ichrian to administer anti-polio drops to children, she said. “They also snatched my papers and tore them in front of me,” Ms Bibi added.

DHO Dr Siddiqueur Rehman forwarded the application for necessary action to Deputy Commissioner Syed Zulfiqar Ali, who ordered Baffa police to lodge FIR against both the brothers.

The accused were arrested under Section 505 of Criminal Procedure Code. A local court granted bail to the arrested brothers on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner asked Senior Superintended of Police Sher Akbar Khan to take strict action against those, who were creating hurdles in the anti-polio in the district.

Addressing a meeting held in connection with the upcoming three-day polio drive, he said that security would be provided to vaccinators. “We should spend all our energies to reach every child in the district to administer him anti-polio drops,” said Mr Ali.

DHO Dr Siddiqueur Rehman, King Abdullah Teaching Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Niaz Mohammad and WHO representative Dr Siddique were also present in the meeting.

The DHO told the meeting that the upcoming polio eradication drive would not be held in six snowbound union councils of the district.

He said that about 240,000 children would be administered anti-polio drops during the upcoming drive in the district. He said that 638 mobile and fixed teams were set up to vaccinate children.

BREAD: The district administration of Mansehra increased the price of bread to Rs6 on Thursday.The administration on the demand of bakers had decreased weight of bread from 110 grams to 100 grams a couple of weeks ago but it refrained from increasing the price of bread at that time. However, now a 100-gram bread will be sold at Rs6 in the district.

In other district of Hazara division including Abbottabad, Haripur, Kohistan and Battagram, a 110-gram bread is still being sold at Rs5.