Shimla: It can surely be termed sheer bad luck. Two migrant workers, who arrived here from Bihar amid a statewide curfew to contain the spread of coronavirus, were booked Friday, police said. The two were booked simply because they arrived at the right place in the wrong time.
Shimla Superintendent of Police Omapati Jamwal said an FIR was filed against the two painters who hail from the hill state and had gone to Bihar for work.
Prima facie, it seems that the duo mostly moved on foot to reach here, Jamwal said. He added that they arrived here from Ambala in Haryana after walking for nine days and covering a distance of around 140 km.
“They were seen walking suspiciously in the New Shimla area during relaxation in curfew between 10.00am to 1.00pm Friday,” the officer said.
It should be stated here that the Himachal Pradesh government had March 24 announced a statewide curfew to combat the spread of coronavirus. The government had also banned the return of migrant workers from other states. Hours later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared a 21-day lockdown to fight the deadly virus.
The two have been booked under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease) of the IPC, Jamwal informed. “They have been medically examined and kept under home quarantine,” he added.
The country had earlier seen a huge exodus of migrant workers from different states trying to reach their native places. However, their journeys were stopped midway and now many have been put in shelter homes in different parts of the country.
Latest reports have shown that the death toll in the country has gone up to 62 due to the pandemic coronavirus.
PTI
