KHAIRPUR: An anti-polio team was attacked with clubs in Allah Bukhsh village falling within Shadi Shaheed union council on Friday.

Reports from the area suggested that two members of the team, Manzoor Katohar and Badruddin Katohar, were injured and taken to the Khairpur Civil Hospital for treatment. However, district administration officials claimed that only Manzoor Katohar was injured.

A special round of anti-polio campaign across Khairpur district is to be launched on Saturday (July 4) which will continue till July 17.

On Friday, the two vaccinators were sent to the village in Shadi Shaheed union council although the district administration had decided to arrange for police guards and revenue officials for the anti-polio teams in view of the resistance posed by villagers during the earlier rounds.

The two vaccinators tried to persuade some families within the village to get their children, left out in the earlier rounds, vaccinated. However, some attacked them with clubs.

While no senior official of the district administration was available for more information about the incident, some employees at the control room, set up at the DC office, said that the injured vaccinator, Manzoor Katohar, was brought there before being taken to the civil hospital.

When contacted by phone for his comment, Sukkur Commissioner Mohammad Abbas Baloch said the vaccinators were sent to the village to cover some refusal cases.

He confirmed that it was decided that police guards and revenue officials would accompany them, and said it was a matter of concern as to why such arrangement was not made.

When asked about the other vaccinator having been injured, the commissioner said that according to his information, only Manzoor Katohar, was injured in the attack.

He also denied reports that the anti-polio team’s kit containing the vaccine stock and other things had either gone missing or had been snatched by the attackers.

Meanwhile, a police team led by Khairpur SSP Usman Ghani Siddiqui visited Allah Bukhsh village and rounded up an unspecified number of suspects following the incident.

“They are under interrogation and any of them found not involved in the attack will be let off,” the SSP said.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2014