Migrant labourer creates coronavirus scare in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: A slum in Hongasandra municipal ward of Bengaluru has become a COVID-19 hotspot and has been completely sealed after some people contracted the coronavirus from a migrant labourer, an official said on Thursday.
Medical Education minister K Sudhakar, who visited the area, told reporters that it has been decided to conduct tests on every citizen there and added that 184 people have been quarantined at the designated places.
According to the health official, the 54-year-old labourer from Bihar, who has been identified as patient number 419, had fever and cough but his room partners and friends did not take it seriously.
When his condition grew serious, he was admitted to the hospital where tests confirmed that he was infected with the virus, the official added.
The ward corporator Bharathi Ramachandra told PTI that nine others, who were in contact with him, tested positive on Thursday. "There are about 200 migrant labourers from Bihar living in this area," Bharathi said.
The entire area with a population of around 1,000 people now wears a deserted look with houses either locked or residents locking themselves up from the inside.
The health workers carried out spraying and fogging in the region. During the contact tracing, it emerged that the labourer worked for the Metro Rail.
After the lockdown, he had worked for a grain merchant and unloaded many sacks of foodgrains in many houses, an health officer said.
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Christmas decorations vandalised by VHP activists at school in Nalbari; Tension in area
Nalbari: Tension prevailed in the Panigaon area of Nalbari district on December 24 after members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal allegedly entered the premises of St Mary’s School and vandalised materials prepared for Christmas celebrations.
According to local sources, activists of the VHP and Bajrang Dal entered the school campus ahead of Christmas and raised slogans inside the premises. It is alleged that Christmas-related decorations and materials kept within the school compound were damaged and set on fire.
Eyewitnesses said that members of the Bajrang Dal were the first to enter the campus, during which they allegedly raised slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram,” “Jai Hindu Rashtra,” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” and burnt items prepared for Christmas celebrations. The incident created panic among local residents and led to concerns over law and order in the area. No injuries have been reported so far.
The incident comes amid reports of similar acts in Nalbari town in recent days, where Christmas decorations displayed at several commercial establishments were allegedly set on fire.
Reacting to the incident, fact-checker Mohammed Zubair said on social media that VHP and Bajrang Dal activists entered St Mary’s School on Christmas Eve, raised slogans and destroyed Christmas decorations. His post drew attention to the incident and sparked wider discussion online.
Police have not yet issued an official statement on the incident. Further details are awaited.
On Christmas Eve, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal goons entered St. Mary’s School in Panigaon, Nalbari, chanting slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hindu Rashtra.” They destroyed and set fire to all Christmas decorations prepared at the school. pic.twitter.com/LQHV7FWUvz
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 24, 2025
