The police have detained ambulance owner Tanaji Balwant Rabbe and driver Palekhan Babu Sheikh for attempting to ferry 15 passengers from Mumbai to Pune. In light of the 21-day lockdown imposed by the Centre, several cases have come to light, where people are resorting to various means to circumvent orders that prohibit travel, with ambulances being exempt from prohibitory orders.
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The Modi government on March 21 had announced the lockdown as a measure to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
As per the guidelines, vehicles involved in providing essential as well as emergency services are exempted from the prohibitory orders of the lockdown and are allowed to ply on the roads.
The police stopped the ambulance bound for Pune for inspection at the toll Naka. They found that the ambulance driver and the members of the owner’s family were travelling in the emergency vehicle. Later, when they inspected the rear side, they discovered 15 persons sitting with their luggage. The officials asked them to alight and investigated the matter.
The owner of the ambulance had charged each individual Rs 18,000 to be ferried to Kolhapur.
Maharashtra has 180 cases of individuals infected with the coronavirus.
