Three youth in Karnataka held for causing coronavirus scare

Bengaluru, Apr 11 () Three youth, who caused panic ata police check post in Mandya district by posing as Muslimsinfected with COVID-19 and threatened to pass it on to thepersonnel there if they were detained, have been arrested, arevenue official said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on April 8, when the threeidentified as Mahesh, Abhishek and Srinivas reached Tendekerecheckpost in an autorickshaw, KR Pet Tahsildar MShivamurthy told .

"When they were intercepted, one of them showed the homequarantine seal on his hand and threatened the personnel byclaiming that they were Muslims infected with coronavirus andwould spread the disease if they were detained, beforefleeing," the official said.

Police launched a manhunt for the trio and nabbed it atBallekere.

A case was registered against the youth, who weresubjected to medical examination at a hospital, but theyremained asymptomatic, said the official adding they have beenquarantined.

Later, in a press release, Shivamurthy said that thoughthe accused were Hindus, they identified themselves as Muslimsinfected with COVID-19 and triggered panic.

"I want to make it clear that neither Muslims have cometo KR Pet to pass on the disease nor is it true that peoplefrom the minority community area were transmitting it. Peopleneed not panic," he clarified. GMSROH ROH