30 booked for playing cricket near sea, violating lockdown norms

The police are on the lookout for 25 people who allegedly violated lockdown rules by gathering for a cricket match at Arnala beach in Virar on Friday afternoon and

The police are on the lookout for 25 people who allegedly violated lockdown rules by gathering for a cricket match at Arnala beach in Virar on Friday afternoon and later jumping into the sea to escape arrest. The youth swam for some metres and then managed to get inside a moving fishing trawler.

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The police said will arrest the youth after the trawler returns to the base, as it is believed to be from the area.

“A patrolling team saw a group of around 30 people playing cricket and approached them to take action. Five were detained by the police, but the remaining jumped into the sea and climbed into a trawler. They will soon have to return home and we will arrest them then. We also have video evidence against them,” police inspector Mahesh Shetye of Arnala police station said.

The police said the 25 accused will be booked under sections 188 (disobedience), 269 (spreading infection) and 353 (obstruction of government servant on duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“Citizens should understand that Arnala is one of the Covid-19 hot spots and 148 people from the fishing community have already been tested positive for the virus,” said Shetye.