Maharashtra: Film crew members booked for flouting COVID-19 norms
What's the story
Police has registered an offense against some members of a film crew after more than a hundred people were found constructing a movie set without adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, an official said on Saturday. "The case was registered on Thursday. Nobody has been arrested in this connection," he added. Here are more details.
Details
None of the workers wore masks or maintained distancing
According to the official, "The work of building the film set at Suncity grounds in Palghar's Vasai had started on March 24. Over a hundred people worked at the site at a time." "When a police team went there, it was found that none of the workers followed coronavirus norms like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing," he said.
FIR
Case registered against some crew members
"A case was registered against some crew members under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (the negligent act that is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life)," the official of Manikpur Police Station under Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar Police Commissionerate said. Worryingly, Maharashtra is the worst-hit state witnessing a daily surge in COVID-19 cases.
Surge
Mumbai reported record single-day spike in infections
On Friday, Maharashtra recorded 47,827 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily count since the pandemic began, which took the state's caseload to 29,04,076. Notably, Mumbai alone added 8,832 cases—the highest single-day spike—and 20 deaths. The total number of active cases in the city has reached 58,455. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has set a target of 2.5 lakh daily coronavirus testing across the state.
Other case
47 people at a resort were detained last week
Many similar cases of non-compliance have been reported recently. On March 29, police conducted a raid and detained 47 people including a resort's staff members and customers for allegedly flouting the COVID-19 prevention norms at the resort located in the Alewadi area of Palaghar. In the wake of a surge in COVID-19 cases, a night curfew has been imposed in Maharashtra from March 28.
Information
Non-compliance with guidelines will attract fine
Under the night curfew guidelines, all public places— including social, cultural, political, and religious gatherings are banned. Non-compliance to the guidelines will attract a fine of Rs. 1,000. The State Government has also penalized not wearing masks with a fine of Rs 500.