Rumour mongers are having a field day on the virtual world and in reality too and that makes the cops' job difficult in order to curb them and save the public from panicking.
Khargone police on Friday booked a 27-year-old woman and her younger brother for threatening "to spread" coronavirus.
SP Sunil Pandey said the duo were booked under Sections 269, 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC and relevant sections of the Pandemic Act 2005.
SP Pandey said after testing positive on Thursday, they were being taken to the hospital in an ambulance when the duo prepared a video in which they threatened people of spreading coronavirus. They circulated the video which led to panic.
Their father, a contractor, is currently undergoing COVID-19 treatment in Indore along with their mother.
According to information, the sibling had been to China, to pursue medical studies. After outbreak there, they returned to their home in Khargone. Both underwent screening and were even put under quarantine on their arrival.
However, the duo, along with their parents, were distributing “Khairat” to the needy for the last few weeks during Ramzan and in all likelihood, they may have come in a contact with infected person(s). Now health department is tracing their contact history.
However, after the case was registered against them, the woman posted a fresh video in which she said that the previous video was shot out of "frustration and anger" as some reporters were creating trouble for her ailing father.
"We went for the tests on our own when saw the symptoms. We are doctors and know what to do. It was not our intention...I was frustrated due to reporters...you have seen what they have reported. They are publishing useless news since my father tested positive. My father is critical...," the woman said in the new video.
In the video, she also tells people not to circulate the previous video.
