Guj: Newly-wed couple, family members held for violating night curfew in Valsad

A newly-wed couple and their family members were arrested in Gujarat's Valsad for allegedly violating the night curfew, which has been enforced in several cities to contain the spread of coronavirus, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Monday night when the couple, still in their wedding attire, and their family members travelling in three cars were intercepted on an overbridge around 12.20 am, deputy superintendent of police Manojsinh Chavda said.

While the couple claimed that they were made to spend nearly two hours at Valsad city police station on their wedding night, police officials said the duo and their family members were let go once the legal process was completed.

Piyush Patel (24), his wife Sonal, along with a driver, were in one car, while other members of the Patel family were in two other cars, an official said, adding that three FIRs were registered in this regard.

''As they could not give a satisfactory answer for roaming about during the night curfew between 10 pm and 6 am, all nine persons were taken to the police station. We lodged FIRs against them and allowed them to go as they were granted bail from the police station itself at night,'' Chavda said.

As per the FIRs, the couple and seven others were booked under sections 188 (disobeying police order) and 269 (indulging in a negligent act which may spread the infection) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, it was stated.

Following the ordeal, Patel, a resident of Tariyawad area of Valsad, told reporters that the police should have shown a lenient approach after finding out that his family was returning home after the wedding.

''Due to such strict action, my wife fell ill today. Since the date, venue and time of my wedding was fixed weeks before the curfew rule came into force, we couldn't return to Valsad before 10 pm. Instead of understanding the situation, we were taken to the police station and made to spend nearly two hours there,'' Patel said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)