Omni bus seized for ferrying 25 Raj guest workers sans e-pass

Coimbatore: The rural police on Tuesday seized an omni bus that entered the district with 30 people on board, 25 of them guest workers, from Rajasthan with a forged e-pass. The health department has taken throat swabs from all of them for Covid-19 test.
It is to be noted that at least 79 vehicles have been seized at the district check posts in the past two days without e-passes or with more passengers than permitted in the e-passes.
The Karumathampatti police said the omni bus, which was on its way to Erode, entered the district after the driver lost his way.
A police officer said the bus arrived at Karumathampatti check post around 6.30am on Tuesday. Of the 30 people, five were drivers. “The police team at the check post scanned the QR code of the e-pass and realized that was a forged one. They seized the airconditioned sleeper bus and asked the guest workers and drivers to undergo Covid-19 test.”
Health department officials subsequently collected throat swabs from them for the test. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the guest workers from Rajasthan were working with a moulding unit at Perundurai in Erode district. “The bus driver was not thorough with the route. He lost his way and entered the district. Revenue department officials have spoken with the moulding unit management and the latter has agreed to quarantine the guest workers on the unit premises. They have sent a vehicle to take the workers to Perundurai,” the officer said.
The Karumathampatti police have registered a case against one of the drivers, identified as D Sugaram, 26, of Rajasthan under Sections 188 and 269 of the Indian Penal Code.
The rural police have seized 79 vehicles that attempted to enter the district from other parts of the state either without e-passes or with more people than permitted in the pass, in the past two days. After reports of thousands of people entering the district without e-passes or submitting wrong details, police have tightened scrutiny at check posts.
A few days ago, 39 workers from Chennai had come to the city by road without e-passes to join a jewellery showroom on Crosscut Road. At least five of them have already tested positive for the virus.
A police source said they have seized 25 vehicles at Thekkalur check post on June 21 alone and 45 cars and nine two-wheelers from Chengapalli, Walayar, Kangeyampalayam and Thekkalur check posts on June 22. “While 20 cars and eight two-wheelers had come without e-passes from other districts, the remaining vehicles were carrying more passengers than permitted in the e-pass.”
Dr G Ramesh Kumar, deputy director of public health, said, “While we ensure that flyers and train passengers get tested for Covid-19 on arrival, the road borders continue to be porous, with many vehicles driving through without getting checked. With so many returnees by road testing positive for the virus, we have requested police to tighten security.”