Pune: After 11 Persons Tested COVID Positive After Wedding, Groom’s Father, Resort Manager Booked by Police

Pune, August 27, 2020: After eleven guests who attended a wedding in mid-August tested Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) positive and the bride’s grandmother died because of the infection, the Pune rural police have pressed criminal charges on the groom’s father and resort manager in Narayangaon. They have been booked for not following the social distancing norms instructed during the conduct of wedding which was held on August 13.

“After a week from the wedding day, the bride’s grandmother died. Her tests resulted in COVID-19 positive. When the health department started contact tracing, the police learned that about 49 people had attended the wedding held at an agro-tourism resort,” said Narayangaon police official.

The police stated that the groom’s father is a well-to-do trader in Narayangaon. He had sought permission for arranging the wedding celebration with only 20 guests on the list. However, the resort’s register has around 49 names on it, whereas people present at the ceremony claimed the number could be higher. The Narayangaon medical officials have stated that on contact tracing eleven were found COVID-19 positive, while 12 more swabs collected from the attendees have been sent for examination on Wednesday. Meanwhile, all of them have been advised to be home quarantined.

The Narayangaon police official also stated that the resort manager didn’t take any safety measures for the guests as well. While probing the matter the police found out that the number of attendees exceeded the limit of 50 members. The police are still investigating the matter, while reports of the rest of the attendees are awaited.

Both the groom’s father and resort manager have been charged under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life).