One injured: Teenage mob lobs stones at polio workers

When Dr Qadeer reached the site, the worker's head was bleeding profusely.

HANGU:

Polio vaccinations were halted in Thal, Hangu on Wednesday when angry teenagers pelted female polio workers with stones, injuring one.

Dr Ghulam Qadeer, who is in charge of polio vaccinations in Thal, told The Express Tribune two polio workers identified as Zuhra Bibi and Gul Ranga called him at approximately 11:15am and said some young men in Mohallah Karigaraan had verbally abused them and insisted they stop the anti-polio inoculation.

When Dr Qadeer reached the site, Zuhra’s head was bleeding profusely. She was shifted to Thal Tehsil Hospital.

The polio team filed a complaint with the Thal police station against the unidentified teenagers and asked why they were not provided policemen for security. The campaign was stopped across the district after the attack. Despite several attempts, police officials from the district could not be reached for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.