28 March,2020 08:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Nagpada police station officers urge people to stay at home amidst the coronavirus outbreak. Picture/Bipin Kokate
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, a man and three members of his family were booked by the Mira Road police for allegedly trying to flee the city by violating the lockdown rules. The family, who were were travelling by a car were caught by the Kashimira police during a blockade when the driver of the car claimed to be a COVID-19 patient.
The man, who is a real estate agent by profession, his bluff was caught during the police investigation. According to the police sources, the man and his family were caught during a police blockade at Kashimira Naka on Wednesday. The police patrol team stopped the vehicle when they noticed the car having a Madhya Pradesh registration plate which was approaching Mumbai from Thane side and found the driver and three women inside the car.
While speaking to Mumbai Mirror, a police officer said, "The driver told us that he was a COVID-19 patient and warned us to stay away from him. He did not have licence and vehicle-related documents with him. None of them were wearing masks. We did not believe him and took all of them to the police station. Singh admitted that his claim was untrue; it seems he made the claim to avoid police enquiries."
The Mira Road police booked the man and his family under Sections 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 290 (punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code; Section 51(b) (punishment for obstruction) of the Disaster Management Act 2005; sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act; and Motor Vehicles Act.
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