Amid lockdown, over 60 people found holed up in goods vehicles in Maharashtra

Amid the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, the Navi Mumbai police found over 60 people, mostly labourers, being ferried in a container truck and a goods carrying tempo in the wee hours of Sunday.

An FIR has been registered against drivers of both the vehicles, a police official said.

During a checking at Palaspe Phata in Panvel, the police found 22 men, 25 women and 16 children stuffed in the two vehicles, he said.

Later, all of them were taken to the CIDCO exhibition ground and handed over to the authorities concerned.

For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here

"We have come to know that those found in the container, all labourers, were going from Mumbai to Karnataka. The driver, Dhanraj Shivaji Awrade (45), revealed he found the labourers walking on a road and asked them to board the vehicle after demanding a certain amount which they agreed to pay," Panvel's senior police inspector Ajay Kumar Landge said.

Besides, the people found in the tempo are all residents of Koparkhairane area in Navi Mumbai and were apparently on way to Satara to attend a wedding function, the official said.

The tempo was being driven by one Pandurang Laxman Pawar (49), he said.

Read: Coronavirus: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

"We have registered an FIR against both the drivers under Indian Penal Code Sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and other relevant provisions," the official said.

Both the vehicles were seized while the drivers were left off after being issued notice under Criminal Procedure Code Section 41 (when police may arrest without warrant), he said, adding that further probe was underway.