Three youth in Karnataka held for causing coronavirus scare

Three youth, who caused panic at a police check post in Mandya district by posing as Muslims infected with COVID-19 and threatened to pass it on to the personnel there if they were detained, have been arrested, a revenue official said on Saturday.

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The incident occurred on April 8, when the three identified as Mahesh, Abhishek and Srinivas reached Tendekere checkpost in an autorickshaw, KR Pet Tahsildar M Shivamurthy told PTI.

"When they were intercepted, one of them showed the home quarantine seal on his hand and threatened the personnel by claiming that they were Muslims infected with coronavirus and would spread the disease if they were detained, before fleeing," the official said.

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Police launched a manhunt for the trio and nabbed it at Ballekere. A case was registered against the youth, who were subjected to a medical examination at a hospital, but they remained asymptomatic, said the official adding they have been quarantined.

Later, in a press release, Shivamurthy said that though the accused were Hindus, they identified themselves as Muslims infected with COVID-19 and triggered panic. "I want to make it clear that neither Muslims have come to KR Pet to pass on the disease nor is it true that people from the minority community area were transmitting it. People need not panic," he clarified.