Nagpur man arrested for coronavirus April Fool's Day prank

A man was arrested for playing an April Fool's prank claiming his wife was infected with the novel Coronavirus, which left authorities in panic as he worked in a firm employed by the vital Koradi Thermal Power Station near Nagpur in Maharashtra, an official said on Friday.

He was identified as contract labourer Ramesh Khuje, said Inspector Vazeer Shaikh. "Khuje told his relative on April 1 that his wife had tested positive for novel Coronavirus. He told his firm AKA Logistics that he has was infected with the virus. However, it was soon found out that Khuje had played a prank," he said.

Based on the complaint by KTPS security officer Sandi Ghodmare, Khuje was arrested under sections of the IPC and Disaster Management Act, the official said.