Two booked for ferrying 30 migrant labourers back to their village in MP

Tempo driver Khelsinh Meda and his helper Chitibhai Meda were arrested under IPC sections 188 (disobedience of order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 114 (abettor present) and under relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act. Their vehicle with a registration number of Morbi has been detained as well.

“The labourers worked at a farm in Waghra village of Bharuch. They had been out of work for over a week and wanted to return home. The driver of the tempo and the labourers are from the same village in MP and are known to each other. He used to work in Morbi and had moved back to his village in Alirajpur as the lockdown was announced. These people had called him to help them return to their village. He had taken internal roads to reach Bharuch to avoid detection at any checkposts but was caught while returning,” said Shankar Chauhan, investigating officer.

Chauhan further added that all the 30 people have been medically examined and moved to a shelter home near Dabhoi where they will be lodged and provided food till the lockdown ends.