School teacher flees to Karnataka in car amid lockdown; Police begin probe

Wayanad/Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 23 () Amid the strictlockdown, a school teacher travelledfrom Thiruvananthapuramto Muthanga in Wayanad-- a distance of about 465 km-- on herway to neighbouring Karnataka en route to Delhi followingwhichpolice have registered a case and a probe is on.

The woman, said to be working in Kendriya Vidyalaya,Pattom here undertook the journey on April 21.

Because of the lockdown even inter-district travel isnot allowed by police and district administration, unlessthere is an extremely genuine reason.

A senior police official in Thiruvananthapuram said hedoes not remember issuing any such pass.

The woman may have "misued" government machinery asprivate vehicles would have been stopped somewhere during thelong journey, he said.

There are reports that the woman undertook the journeyin a government vehicle.

She cameto Kalpetta in Wayanad allegedly in anofficial car of the excise department.

Wayanad District police chief R Elango told thatan FIR has been filed based on preliminary information andinvestigations have begun.

"We willcheck if she has followed procedures inobtaining a pass and if she has made any false claim to getthe pass,"he said.

As per preliminary information the woman came in anexcise official's car from Thamarassery (Kozhikode) toMuthunga(Wayanad), he said.

Her mode of transport before that--fromThiruvananthapuram to Wayanad--will also be investigated,hesaid, adding they have no information if she has reachedDelhi.

"We will track down her movement," he said

Meanwhile, theWayanad district administration hasintensified the lockdown protocol from Thursday to preventpeople's movement within and from outside the district/state.

Interception at all the check posts on district andstate borders of the district, bordering Tamil Nadu andKarnataka, will also be intensified.

No one would be allowed to travel frequently to andfro the district under the pretext of official duty.

Wayanad collector Adhila Abdulla said officials fromoutside the district will no longer be allowed to commutedaily.

"Elderly people above the age of 65 should confine totheir homes unless it is extremely urgent or unavoidable.

Cases will be registered against family members whoallow elderly people to go out for buying medicines and otheressentials," she said.

Senior citizens, who live alone, can call either theFire (101) or Police (100) departments for any help and to getthings they need, the collector said. Whatever relaxations were in place have also beenwithdrawn with effect from Thursday, she added.

Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram come under the 'OrangeB' zone where there are some relaxations.

However, Thiruvananthapuram city limits falls underthe hotspot area. CORR UDBN WELCOME WELCOME