Police on Saturday arrested three persons in Ahmedabad for violating Covid-19 protocols after they allegedly organised a public celebratory event for their pet dog who turned two years old. According to police, this “birthday bash” for the Pomeranian breed pet dog “Abby” was organised at Madhuvan Green Party plot in Nikol of Ahmedabad on Friday night by three youths identified as Chirag Patel alias Daago (24), his brother Urvish Patel (19) and their friend Divyesh Maheria (35), all residents of Krishnanagar in Ahmedabad. Visuals from the birthday party showed live orchestra and music as well as garba performance for the pet animal with people throwing currency notes in the air as a form of celebration. “A patrolling police party from Nikol Police Station received information that a person named Chirag Patel alias Daago had organised a birthday party for his dog Abby who turned two years old and norms of social distancing were being flouted at the event. After a police team reached the spot, several men and women were seen performing garba without wearing masks or following social distancing. The accused were unable to show any permission for the event organised,” said Sunil Kumar Patni, police constable in his complaint in the FIR. In an FIR lodged at Nikol Police Station on Friday night, the three accused were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 269 for negligent act likely to spread infection of a disease, 188 for disobedience to order given by public servant and 114 for offence committed when abettor present along with section 51 a of the disaster management act for refusing to comply with a government order. “A day after the FIR was lodged, the three accused were arrested on Saturday for violating Covid-19 norms. Investigation has revealed that the Patel sibling duo had spent Rs 7 lakh to arrange for birthday party of Abby and had also invited a local folk singer,” said a senior police official at Nikol Police Station.
