Amid coronavirus outbreak, unclaimed currency notes create panic in Indore

Rumors stating notes infected with the coronavirus are being deliberately strewn to spread the disease further. The total value of the currency notes was just under Rs 6500.

Hours after unclaimed currency notes spread panic in a locality, the Indore police are investigating whether it was an act of mischief or someone dropped them accidentally.

On Thursday noon, the police were alerted about notes lying on Khatipura road under Heera Nagar Police Station. A police team carefully picked up each of the 25-odd notes and sanitised them.

In-charge of Hiranagar Police Station Rajeev Bhadoria admitted that the police did not want to take any chance given the rumours doing the rounds of social media. Rumors stating notes infected with the coronavirus are being deliberately strewn to spread the disease further. The total value of the currency notes was just under Rs 6500.

Bhadoria said the police have checked CCTV footage but were yet to find out how the notes reached there. He said nobody has claimed ownership of the notes nor any eyewitness has come forward so far. He said the claim that the notes were thrown from a four-wheeler was not true.

SP (East) Mohammed Qureshi said it was likely that the notes were dropped accidentally. Indore has reported nearly 700 positive cases and 39 deaths and cases of rumor-mongering are high.