Throwing social distancing norms to the wind, a group of mandal-level officials allegedly tried to celebrate a booze party defying COVID-19 lockdown norms in the Revenue Guest House in Madhira town late on Monday night but ended up being booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Acting on a tip off, the Madhira police raided the guest house late on Monday night and found Srinivas, a doctor of Maturipeta Primary Health Centre, reportedly hiding in a room inside the guest house, sources said.
Three others who gathered at the guest house for the liquor party reportedly managed to flee minutes before the raid, sources added. The police seized a half-consumed liquor bottle and foodstuff from the guest house.
Based on the preliminary inquiry, the Madhira police on Tuesday registered a case against Tahsildar Saidulu, Madhira sub-jailer Prabhakar Reddy and Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Extension Officer Raja Rao besides Dr. Srinivas.
The four officials were booked under Section 3 of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, and Section 188 (Disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant and Section 269 (Negligently doing any act known to be likely to spread infection), police said.
The local police launched a detailed investigation into the case to ascertain the involvement of others, if any, in the “liquor party.”
The incident caused a stir in Madhira town amid the extended phase of coronavirus-induced lockdown.
