Amid the coronavirus scare, a man was allegedly beaten up in Maharashtra's Kolhapur for allegedly sneezing and spitting in public on Tuesday, 17 March,
The entire incident was recorded in a CCTV camera nearby.
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in over 8,000 deaths across the world – with over 200,000 infections. Meanwhile in India, Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of positive cases, with 45 confirmed cases. In India, the total number of positive cases have risen till 169.
According to reports, a man on a two-wheeler sneezed several times, while he was standing in traffic. A couple who was passing by, advised him to wear a mask. But the two parties started arguing, which resulted in physical assault.
The Quint spoke to the family who is seen beating up the man in the video.
Prasad Dille, of Gujri area in Kolhapur, Maharashtra on Tuesday, 17 March was on a two-wheeler with his family, when another man dressed in an orange shirt rode pass them. According to Dille, he sneezed twice without covering his mouth, Prasad Dille's family confronted the man and advised him to cover his mouth while sneezing.
Recounting the incident to The Quint, Dille said that he told the man about the government advisory to be careful during the coronavirus outbreak, and he told him to “take precautions as advised by the doctors, so you should follow it.”
Prasad claimed that the man refused to do so and started arguing with him. In the middle of a verbal argument, Dille alleges that the man spat on him. He also says that the man abused his wife.
After that, as seen CCTV footage, the verbal argument turned violent. A few people from the crowd joined in and thrashed the man.
No police complaint has been registered as of now about the incident.
After the incident was highlighted on social media, Maharashtra Home Minister, Anil Deshmukh in a tweet stated that the Maharashtra police should act against “offenders who are endangering themselves and everyone else around.”
According to the Health Ministry, India has had a total of 169 confirmed coronavirus cases so far, including 25 foreign nationals. Three people have been declared dead due to the pandemic.
This isn’t first such incident, of violence as a result of the coronavirus scare. On 16 March in Tiberias city of Israel, an Indian immigrant who was mistaken for a Chinese man was assaulted by two Israelis in an alleged racist attack related to the coronavirus outbreak.
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