
Navsari Police on Friday arrested 14 people in Chikhli taluka for holding a marriage function amid the lockdown imposed in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, including the bride and the bridegroom.
The function was held near a temple, from where the newly-wed couple were taken to police station and later released in the night.
The marriage function of Nimisha Ramesh Patel, a resident of Vankal village and Navik Jagdish Patel, from Nandarkha village, was organised near Brahmadev temple at cvillage. A few family members of the bride and groom along with a priest had attended the function.
Acting on a tip off, Chikhli police reached the spot, and found the function was in progress. The police waited for the ritual to get completed and later arrested the couple, their family members and priest Gor Maharaj of the temple who had conducted the marriage.
Chikhli Police Inspector D K Patel said, “They have violated prohibitory orders during the lockdown. The arrested people were later released on bail.”
They were arrested under IPC sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and Section 3 of the Epidemic Disease Act 1987.