34 arrested from club in Mumbai for flouting COVID-19 norms

Mumbai: Police conducted a raid on a club near Mumbai airport in the early hours of Tuesday and arrested 34 people for allegedly violating the COVID-19 prevention norms, an official said.

The police action came after the Maharashtra government on Monday declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas as a precautionary step amid growing concerns over a new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.

Acting on an information, the police raided the club located in Sahar area near the airport around 2 am.

They arrested 27 customers present in the club and seven staff members, the police official said.

Those arrested were booked under relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections, including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), he added.

Ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the state government has declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary step amid growing concerns over a new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.

According to an official statement, it has also been decided to compulsorily put in institutional quarantine for 14 days those who arrive at the states airports from European and West Asian countries.

As per the state government’s directive, a curfew between 11 pm and 6 am will be enforced in the financial capital till January 5, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner I S Chahal said on Monday.

Essential services like vegetable and milk supply will remain unaffected during the night curfew, but more than five people cannot assemble at a place during the seven-hour-long period, he said. (PTI)