Fruits worth Rs 60k of Hyd vendor dumped over Corona scare

Hyderabad : Fruits worth Rs. 60,000 belonging to a vendor from the Kokapet area in Hyderabad were buried on 28 April over fears of contamination. A nurse from Niloufer hospital who tested positive for COVID-19 had allegedly visited the vendor's shop a few days ago.

The incident came to light after a Class XII student, Divya Akshita, tweeted about it. The fruit vendor has been running his tiny shop for years opposite to Jain’s Four Seasons in Kokapet, where Divya stays.

Speaking to NewsMeter, Divya said, "For the past two years, I have been living in this apartment. He has been here since then. A nurse from Niloufer hospital bought fruits from him and the next day she tested positive for Corona virus. When the administration started contact tracing, they found that she had stopped here."

The vendor was tested and is now under home quarantine. The municipality, meanwhile, dumped all his fruits in a truck and buried them near Narsingi circle.

“I am very moved by the fact that he is a poor vendor whose family depends on the daily income he earns from the shop. It is nearly destroyed now,” Diya said.

Following Divya’s tweet, many responded seeking compensation for the vendor.

Responding to this, Narsingi Sub- Inspector R Lakshman told NewsMeter, "I was a decision by the municipality authorities to bury the fruits. However, the authorities have assured to offer appropriate compensation to the fruit vendor."