Five tourists arrested in Karnataka’s Kodagu

Bengaluru, April 14 (IANS) Five people driving around Karnataka’s Kodagu district in a roofless off-road vehicle have been arrested for violating the lockdown,an official said on Monday.

“We have booked a case against five people touring in roofless jeep, violating lockdown conditions,” Kodagu Superintendent of Police Suman D. Pennerker told IANS.

Police arrested Karthik, Aruna, Chetan, Ranjit and driver Swamy under Indian Penal Code’s Section 188 and the Disaster Management Act’s Section 51B.

According to Penneker, the group of five checked into Padington resort, and were related to the property’s manager.

The manager also joined the group in their drive.

“Some local people shot videos of those moving people which were shared with the police. Police went and verified,” Pennekar said.

A rumour also did rounds that the lockdown violating tourists were related to a JD-S MLA but the police denied it.

“We got a tip off that some lawmaker had come and stayed in the resort and that his family was hanging around. We got to know that the people hanging out were the relatives of the resort manager, not the JD-S MLA,” the SP said.

The SP said that the lawmaker did not violate any lockdown conditions nor his family was present, saying he came only with his driver.

Pennekar, however, did not reveal the name of the lawmaker.

All the five accused were released on bail.

–IANS

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