Driver booked for bringing workers without e-passes

COIMBATORE: A driver was booked and an omnibus was seized here on the outskirts of the district for allegedly transporting 30 migrant labourers from Rajasthan into the district without valid e-passes.

All the passengers were instructed to be on a 14-day quarantine after undergoing Covid tests, police said.

The speeding bus, with Rajasthan number plate, was intercepted at a checkpost near Karumathampatti on Tuesday around 6 am.  

During a check, police team deployed at the checpost found that none of the passengers, migrant labourers belonging to Rajasthan, had e-passes, police said, adding that the e-pass produced by the driver was found to be fake.

Police booked the driver, D Sugaram (26) of Rajasthan, under two sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the IPC. The bus was also seized, police said.

"The driver was transporting all the 30 people from Rajasthan and crossed many check posts by showing the fake document," police said, adding that the plan was to take the workers to a private knitting firm, which has branches in Coimbatore and Perundurai of Erode district.

"By mistake he drove the bus towards Coimbatore branch, instead of Erode. The passengers include three woman and two children. They were sent to the company and were instructed to be on quarantine for 14 days," said a police official.