RAWALPINDI: A woman from an anti-dengue team was allegedly detained and the others were thrashed by inmates of a house in Officers’ Colony, Morgah.

Shahbaz Ali Malik, in-charge of the anti-dengue team, lodged a complaint with the police that he along with Nabeela Bibi, Kamran Khalid, Amira Bibi and others rang the doorbell of Chaudhry Afzal in Officers’ Colony to seek permission for an anti-dengue spray.

He said a man, later identified as Khuram, along with other people including women, came out and put up resistance. They beat up the team members and used abusive language against them.

Police register cases against 11 people after dengue larvae found on their premises

“Ms Nabeela, one of the team members, was detained in a room by the inmates of the house,” the FIR said.

However, the police have made no arrests in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, a team from the health department carried out a snap checking in Police Colony located on the premises of the Police Lines Headquarters and wrote to the city police officer and the deputy commissioner Rawalpindi about the possibility of a dengue epidemic as there were mosquito breeding sites in a street and huge dengue larvae were found there.

A health official told Dawn that one of the streets of the residential area was full of dengue larvae.

“The street is packed with dengue larvae, brushes are grown on the rooftops of the residential quarters and one part of the police lines has turned into a junkyard of impounded vehicles with brushes grown inside,” the official said.

He added that an emergency had been declared in the police colony and residents warned of an epidemic of the mosquito born disease.

Dengue is not confined to specific areas as it has travelled to the colony where about 10 people have been suffering from mosquito born disease.

The health team leader, Mohammad Afraz Khan, told Dawn that he had informed the CPO and DC in writing about the threat of the dengue spread in the colony.

The health team advised residents of the colony to keep their houses and surrounding clean and wear clothes that covered the skin.

They also warned parents to monitor their children for fever, severe headache, pain behind eyes or muscle and joint pain.

A resident of the colony said the health department team visited the area, made videos of the mosquito breeding sites, pasted stickers inscribed with warnings on doors and walls. But soon after the health team departed, the stickers and posters were removed.

On the other hand, police have booked 11 individuals after dengue larvae were found during a series of raids at public places.

Two cases were registered with the Pirwadhai police on the complaint of an anti-dengue team who found dengue larvae in two separate places.

The Airport, R.A Bazaar and Cantt police registered one case each after dengue larvae were found during raids.

Saddar Barooni police limits were the worst hit where dengue larvae were found at four places while one case was reported to the Kahuta police.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2019