While the polio campaign faced a similar problem earlier from radical Muslim groups in some parts of Uttar Pradesh — the state with the highest number of polio cases — it has since sought to counter it by roping in community elders and clerics.

The affidavit, however, does not elaborate on specific instances. Superintendent of Police, Nashik (Rural), Nikhil Gupta, said he was not aware of the matter and needed to look up the affidavit. Maharashtra DGP A N Roy also said he was unaware of such claims being made by the Nashik (Rural) police.

Hakim Mohammad Ahmed Khan, general secretary of the All India Ulema Council, said they had already taken measures to tackle the anti-polio campaign. “A sect called ‘Ummat’ has been known to spread falsehoods that the polio dosage causes impotence. Though the problem was much worse in the beginning, religious leaders have tried to contain it in the past few years,” he said.

Maharashtra witnessed a polio outbreak in 2006, with the first case being reported after a gap of two years.

with inputs from Swatee Kher