COVID-19: Panic in Nalbari after Bus from Kerala Brings 50 Youths to Assam

Nalbari, March 22, 2020:

Amid the nationwide COVID-19 crisis that has left panic and confusion in its wake, closer home in Northeast India's Assam, chaos prevailed in Doulasal area under Nalbari district earlier today, when a bus filled with youths screeched to a halt in the town.

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The Kerala bus, that caused the situation of hue-and-cry, bore registration number KL-74A-3096, alarming locals. The bus had reportedly brought youths employed in Kerala, who had rented it in a bid to escape the corona-panic in the South Indian State. Locals avow that no less than 50 youths from Kerala had boarded the bus in a mad scramble to return home.

However, in a mad display, locals surrounded the bus, refusing the panic-stricken youths to get down from the bus, which resulted in absolute and utter chaos. Subsequently, a team of experts was summoned in order to examine the youths. Armed personnel were also called, who kept a vigil on the goings-on with keen interest.

Inside Northeast has been informed that at least five of the youths are from the Rowmari village. Others, it has been reported, are from other Assam towns such as Morigaon, Barpeta, et al.

The local Doulasal youths, who disembarked in the Nalbari village, were physically assessed in Mukalmua, and were finally declared as "danger free". They were then embraced into the village fold by the local headman, upon being cleared. Locals, meanwhile, continue to seethe at the 5 youths being let off with a primary assessment, without the standard checking protocol for COVID-19 patients.

One of the locals, describing the situation, told us that the alarm was raised around 10:30 am on Sunday, when a "super" arrived in the locality. "We did not let them disembark. We informed the Doulasal Police Station. They left 5 youths from Rowmari here and the village headman embraced them into the village, although the rest were taken to the Guwahati Medical College."

The local further stated that the locals are in panic mode ever since this incident came to light. "What will we do if these youths visit the market?", he queried, further adding that the local authorities continue to turn a blind eye towards the situation. "The youths that have arrived here in Doulasal, we urge the Government to confine them to a medical facility for at least 14 days.."

One of the youths, talking to Inside Northeast, said, "We have come to Kerala; in total, 49 of us came here, 5 of us are from here in Rowmari. Our employers had us screened and sent us off to Assam in a bus; not in a train, because of some problems..."

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Meanwhile, Assam had its closest brush with the COVID-19 virus when a four-and-a-half years old child from Jorhat was diagnosed as coronavirus-positive, but a second test yielded a "negative" result.

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