Sleuths of the Thane (rural) police have arrested the manager of a lodge in Kashimira for violating the disaster management and epidemic act by renting out rooms during the lockdown, late on Wednesday night. Acting on a specific tip-off, a special police team under the instructions of SP Dr. Shivaji Rathod, swooped down on Hotel Samadhan, a lodging facility located near the highway in Kashimira and found that the manager had illegally rented out a room to a couple in defiance of lockdown orders promulgated by the district administration to contain the spread of coronavirus.
“As per orders, lodges are not allowed to operate. The manager who has been identified as Ajit Sonar was booked along with the couple and the owner of the establishment for defying the lockdown rules which is a serious offence,” confirmed Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Hazare.
Several dingy hotels and lodges in the twin-city were said to be involved in similar illegal activities, sources said. The SP apparently got a whiff about the illegalities and took immediate action against the offenders.
Restaurants, bars, hotels and lodges are amongst those establishments in the hospitality industry which continue to be in lockdown mode in the first phase of Mission Begin Again. Meanwhile a case under section 188, 269, 270, 271, 272 and 394 of the IPC has been registered against the accused.
Further investigations were underway.
