SP's Agra MLA candidate booked for violating COVID-19 guidelines

Police in Agra booked a Samajwadi Party MLA candidate and at least 40 others on charges of violating COVID-19 protocol, officials said on Sunday.

Madhusudhan Sharma, SP candidate from Bah Assembly constituency, along with his supporters, had performed a 'puja' at Bateshwar Temple here on Friday after winning the election ticket, they said. They did not maintain social distance, wear masks and failed to follow other COVID-appropriate behaviour, according to an official.

''For violating COVID-19 guidelines and Section 144 of the CrPC imposed in the state, an FIR has been registered against Sharma and about 40-50 party workers,'' Station Head Officer (SHO) at Bah police station Manoj Kumar told PTI. ''The FIR has been registered under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease danger­ous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease danger­ous to life) of the IPC and Epidemic Act, 1897, (3) and (4),'' he said. When contacted, Sharma claimed that there were only four or five people during the puja, but the locals gathered later.

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