BHOPAL: As many as 155 persons have been booked by police in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh for violating prohibitory orders and social distancing norms by crowding to welcome a Jain monk in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh.
“A case has been registered at the Banda police station against five identified men and 150 unidentified persons for violating the prohibitory orders and social distancing norms by gathering in large numbers to welcome a Jain monk in Banda area of the district on Tuesday,” Sagar district SP Amit Sanghi said.
“The case has been registered against 155 persons u/s 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by public servant) 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely spread infection of a disease dangerous to life) of IPC. While five accused are identified, video footage of the gathering is being examined to identify the 150 others,” Sanghi said.
A large crowd had gathered in Banda town of Sagar district (200 km from Bhopal) to welcome Digambar Jain monk Pramansagar Maharaj on Tuesday, despite social distancing norms and prohibitory orders being in place in the district, which has so far reported 16 positive cases of the deadly novel coronavirus.
Visuals of the gathering showing hundreds of men and women swarming around the Jain monk to welcome him in the Banda town had gone viral over social media on Wednesday, after which the police acted in the matter.