Maha: 5 vehicles with over 140 people stopped; drivers held

Over 130 labourers and 13 members

of two families were stopped while they were trying to leave Maharashtra in goods vehicles amid the nationwide lockdown, police said on Monday.

Five drivers have been arrested in this connection, they said.

During checking in Sewree area here on Sunday night, the police intercepted a truck carrying 53 labourers to Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh and arrested its driver Shahban Ziyaullah Rehmani (44), sub-inspector Kiran Mandre said.

A mini tempo trying to ferry six members of a family to Rajasthan was also stopped in the same area and the vehicle's driver Zaheer Akbarali Ahmed was arrested, he said.

 

The labourers found in the truck used to work in commercial godowns, hotels and shops in Mumbai. The workers as well as the six family members found in the mini tempo were left off, he added.

Two more trucks carrying 78 labourers to Uttar Pradesh were stopped in Ganesh Nagar area on Sunday night and their drivers - Kamal Shah (41) and Lalji Pancham Kanojiya (31) - were arrested, another official said.

The two drivers had allegedly taken Rs 3,000 from each person to take them to Uttar Pradesh.

Besides, an SUV carrying seven members of a family to Ratnagiri to attend the last rites of a relative was stopped in the same area and its driver Anis Sheikh (21) was also arrested, he said.

All the arrested drivers have been booked under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and other relevant provisions, the police said.