Gujarat: COVID-19 norms flouted at music event, three cops suspended

PALANPUR: Three policemen have been suspended for failing to stop a musical event at a village in Gujarat where COVID-19 prevention norms were allegedly flouted, a senior official said on Thursday.

The folk music event was organised on Wednesday night at Vadgamda village in Tharad taluka of Banaskantha district.

Some videos which went viral on social media showed around 200 people, many without masks, sitting close to each other at the event.

The main organiser of the event has been arrested, Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Tarun Kumar Duggal said.

Some videos of the programme went viral after the event was held on Wednesday night, he said.

"Such programmes are not at all permitted in the wake of the COVID-19 situation.

For failing to act in time, we have placed a sub-inspector of that area and two head constables under suspension after the matter came to light today," the official said.

The police have lodged an FIR against 12 people under the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act and arrested the main organiser of the event, he said.

The event organiser had mentioned the names of a member of Parlaiment and an assistant superintendent of police as chief guests on the event's poster.

But, they did not attend the programme, Duggal said.