After a series of actions taken against liquor vending shops and lodges in the twin-city, the Thane (rural) police has now registered an offence against the owner, manager and soliciting customers of an eatery in Uttan for violating lockdown norms.
Home delivery and take-away of food has been permitted within the limits of various municipalities in the district, with the exception of containment zones in these areas. However taking undue advantage of the relaxations, the owner of Hotel Light House located in the Dhaavgi area of Uttan near Bhayandar was found to be serving food and entertaining customers inside the establishment, thus defeating the entire purpose of the stop-gap arrangements put in place by the district administration to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on this information, a team led by Assistant Police Inspector Satish Nikam swooped down on the hotel on Saturday. The manager of the establishment who has been identified as Rajesh Madhukar Sarkate (30) was booked under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management and Epidemic Act.
The soliciting customers who were huddled together with complete disregard for any sort of social distancing have also been booked by the police.
Further investigations were on.
