A Facebook user named Md Faisal threatened the Darbhanga District Magistrate Tyagrajan S.M. with death for announcing the screening for COVID-19 patients through social media. The accused offered a bounty of Rs 2 lakhs to whoever kills the DM.
In his Facebook post, the Darbhanga DM had announced that all the people who have come from outside the state will be screened. The DM also appealed people to come forward for test.
The post, uploaded in Hindi, read, “In order to limit the spread of the coronavirus, a meeting of Municipal Commissioner and Ward Councillors was held to identify the suspicious people get them tested. A decision was taken during the meeting that people who have come from outside the state will be subjected to a screening by the medical team from tomorrow(On Friday).”
Many lauded the District Magistrate for this decision. However, the announcement did not sit well with one Md Faisal who posted a comment saying he would offer Rs 2 lakh to whoever who kills the District Magistrate. “Whoever will shoot tyhe DM of Darbhanga, I will give him Rs 2 lakh,” Md Faisal wrote.
According to the police sources, an investigation into the death threat issued by one of the Facebook users has been initiated. Although the comment has been removed, the accused is being traced. SSP Baburam said that the responsibility of investigating the matter has been assigned to Sadar SDPO and Birauli DSP. Strict action will be taken against the accused in this case within 24 hours, he said.
After the decision to screen outsiders was taken, the Darbhanga Municipal Corporation has started identifying people who had entered the district post-March 18, 2020. After screening, if they exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19, they would be sent to quarantine facilities. A similar order has also been passed for those who had visited the congregation organised by Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin and others who have come from abroad.
