Five people, including two women and a former pradhan, have been arrested in Morna village

Two policemen, including a sub-inspector, were injured in Morna village of Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday evening when they went to enforce the lockdown imposed to battle COVID-19. The injured have been admitted to a Meerut hospital, police said. Five people, including two women and a former pradhan, have been arrested.

According to official sources, a team of Bhopa police station went to Karhera road near Morna village where some villagers had assembled. When the police tried to disperse them, they pelted stones at the policemen in which sub-inspector Lekhraj Singh and constable Ravi Kumar were injured.

A local source said it has been difficult to enforce lockdown in rural areas of Muzaffarnagar. “The incident happened near the residence of the former pradhan Nahar Singh, who comes from a scheduled caste community. His family members were standing on the road. When the police strictly tried to enforce the lockdown, an argument ensued, leading to an attack on the policemen,” said the source.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Nepal Singh refused to go into the social background of the alleged attackers. “We have arrested five people, including a former pradhan. They have been booked under different Sections of the IPC, including the attempt to murder. The situation is under control. The policemen have been referred to a Meerut hospital and are stable,” he said.