Bitten by mosquitoes, Raipur man hands over dead insects to civic office in rare complaint

A resident of Raipur’s Vamanrao Lakhe ward filed an unusual complaint with the Municipal Corporation after being bitten by mosquitoes, alleging that the insects could be carriers of dengue. The man, identified as Daulal Patel, killed the mosquitoes and brought them in a sealed packet to the civic body’s office, demanding action against the mosquito menace in his neighbourhood.

A video of the incident, which has surfaced on X, shows Patel informing a health officer that he had consulted a doctor, who advised him to get the mosquitoes tested. Acting on the advice, Patel carried the insects in a securely sealed polythene bag to the municipal headquarters and submitted them for examination.

As per a report by NDTV, Patel was accompanied by social activist Vijay Sona and the Municipal Corporation’s leader of the opposition, Akash Tiwari, while lodging the grievance. Following the complaint, officials called in doctors to examine the mosquitoes. Test results later confirmed that the insects were ordinary mosquitoes and not carriers of dengue.

Social activist Vijay Sona told NDTV that he had repeatedly approached civic authorities to raise concerns about mosquito breeding in his locality, but alleged that no concrete action was taken. He further claimed that a member of his family had died due to a mosquito-borne disease.

“This is the capital city. If this is the condition here, what must be happening in other areas?” he said.

Responding to the complaint, officials of the Raipur Municipal Corporation stated that fogging operations and anti-larval spraying would be stepped up in the affected localities. However, residents expressed scepticism over the assurances, noting that despite crores of rupees being spent annually on mosquito-control measures, open drains and inadequate drainage systems continue to serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

The incident has drawn public attention to concerns over mosquito control and the implementation of preventive measures by civic authorities.