Kolkata: Barred from Entering Home Upon Return from Delhi, Family Spends Night in Howrah Crematorium

A family who returned from Delhi to their home in West Bengal's Howrah district had to spend a night at a crematorium after locals stopped them from entering the area, fearing they might spread coronavirus, officials said on Saturday.

Mohua Mukherjee and her son Rohit returned from Delhi by Rajdhani Express on Friday.

Mohua, who lost her husband a couple of years back, lives in the national capital with her son who has a jewellery business there. As their business was not doing well due to the pandemic, the mother and the son decided to return to her father's place, located in Raghudebpur-Dakbunglow in Rajpur police station area.

As they reached the area, locals stopped them, saying they have returned from Delhi and they might be infected with

coronavirus.

Mohua said that she spoke to a local panchayat member and had informed her about their return.

Failing to convince the people, Mohua along with her son went to Sahapur in Panchala police station area where her father has another house. The people of that area too did not allow them, leading to a war of words.

Finally, Mohua along with her son, father and a brother went to the nearby Basudebpur Agunkhali crematorium where they spent the night in a room in which bodies are kept during bad weather.

As police officials got to know of the incident on Saturday morning, they took the family to their Raghudebpur- Dakbunglow house, officials said.

Mohua Mukherjee and her son, who heaved a sigh of relief after being able to return home, were asked by district officials to stay in home quarantine for 14 days.