Boy in Bengaluru thrashed by BBMP officials for refusing the Covid-19 test

Bengaluru: A teenager was brutally thrashed by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities as part of their ‘highhandedness’. Apparently, the boy was beaten for denying to undergo the Covid-19 swab test. The video of the boy getting beaten is being circulated all over social media. BBMP officials confirmed that the incident took place in Nagarapeth under Dharmaraya Swami Temple ward in the Chickpet constituency in the South zone.

The video clearly shows that the boy in the blue shirt is being beaten by two officials wearing peach and white shirts. The man in white is seen clutching the boy’s hands, whereas, the other one is seen hitting on his neck and face. The boy becomes helpless and tries to defend himself but, he is forced to the ground. Later, an official almost bangs the boy’s head on the table. During this, two passersby try to calm the two officials but the ones sitting at the table seem to be hesitant to take any action.

Some people have raised the question as to why the boy was forced to take the test even after being asymptomatic. The government has already decided not to test the asymptomatic people. On the contrary, many people in the state claim that they have been refused tests by officials for being asymptomatic.

BBMP Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said that a departmental investigation will be done. He also said that strict action will be taken against the guilty and that the officials cannot force people to undergo the Covid tests even if the state was trying to increase the test numbers.

As this video went viral, other such videos are also popping up. In another video, a man is seen forced out of a building by officials. Allegedly, this incident also took place in the same area.