mumbai

Updated: Apr 15, 2020 12:41 IST

Mumbai Police registered two more FIRs in a case related to spreading of rumours which led to migrant workers gathering outside Bandra railway station on Tuesday. One person has been arrested in connection with the case.

The second FIR has been filed against a journalist of a Marathi news channel.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mumbai Police had to resort to force after a huge mob of migrant workers gathered outside Bandra police station asking the state to help them return to their native places. The incident happened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced extended nationwide Covid-19 lockdown till May 3.

An FIR was registered on Tuesday against 700 unidentified people at Bandra police station.

One of the two new FIRs are against Vinay Dubey, a resident of Navi Mumbai, who uploaded a video on social media and asked migrant workers from North India to gather at Kurla Terminus on April 18 to demand that they be sent back to their native place. Dubey - booked under sections 117, 153(a), 188, 269, 270, 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 3 of Epidemic Diseases Act - was arrested from Navi Mumbai late last night.

The other FIR is against Rahul Kulkarni, a journalist with a Marathi news channel, for running a report stating that a special train will run for migrant workers to their native place, said Bandra police officials.

Mumbai Police spokesperson and deputy commissioner of police Pranaya Ashok confirmed that an FIR has been registered against Dubey and that he was arrested. “We have also registered a separate FIR against Rahul Kurlkarni, a journalist from Marathi news channel for running news about a special train running for migrant workers. We are calling him for inquiry today,” said Ashok.

Kulkarni has been booked booked under Sections 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 505 (b) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 117 (Abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act.

Bandra police officials, meanwhile, revealed that they have narrowed down on three suspects who possibly were the brains behind gathering of the crowd. All three have been identified as residents of Shastri Nagar in Bandra.