RAIPUR: A youth from an affluent family live-streamed his violation of the COVID-19 lockdown on Facebook late on Monday night in Chhattisgarh's capital following which the Raipur police arrived and took him into custody - live again on the social networking site.
A resident of New Shanti Nagar, Abhinay Soni, an architect, drove around on his high-end BMW car, relaying his lockdown violation live over FB at around 11 pm Monday.
He roamed around the city and travelled around 20 km away to get some food packed for himself from a roadside dhaba at Mandirhasaud. He received various comments and likes on his FB profile on his action but it didn't take long for the police to know about it.
Early morning the next day, Soni was arrested by the cops who made him post his arrest and the reason for it on his FB handle.
"Yesterday night I made a FB video on violating the lockdown. Today, I am watching my arrest live at the Mandir Hasaud police station," he wrote on his FB wall and further added that "as a responsible citizen I admit my crime and tender an apology."
"Late night, a youth carried out a serious violation challenging the lockdown and showed it live on his FB. He paid the price for it by streaming his arrest on his own FB wall. His car and mobile were seized. He was arrested under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant). Whether the regulations on lockdown, social media or traffic — it's the responsibility of everyone to strictly follow it," said Arif H Sheikh, Raipur senior superintendent of police.
The SSP urged the citizens to remain attentive and abide by the rules during the COVID-19 lockdown warning that otherwise the "vigilant police is always there to promptly act."