It was a short-lived enjoyment for a 29-year-old man and his friends after they cooked and consumed what they called the "Corona Virundhu" ('Corona Feast') in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur district, police said on Thursday.
"On Wednesday, a couple of people assembled on the outskirts of Kabisthalam, cooked and ate food, sitting in close quarters when the COVID-19 lockdown was in force," said a police official.
He said the matter came to light as the activity was uploaded on Facebook and a police complaint was lodged by the Village Administrative Officer.
Police said that 29-year-old Sivaguru, who was earlier working in Tiruppur and had come to the district two months back, was arrested in this connection. Visuals from the 'feast' show several men seated on both sides of banana leaves that are place to form a long row.
The leaves are packed with rice and the can be seen digging in, leaving caution to the winds.
This arrest comes just days after visuals emerged from Muduvarpatti village near Alanganallur in Madurai district, where scores had gathered for the final procession of a jallikattu bull.
Paying no heed to social distancing, residents could be seen in the video coming with garlands for the bull, seeking its blessing and participating in a procession for it. Women in the crowd were even seen wailing in despair.
Reports suggest that the bull was named Mooli and was a prize-winning animal. It however fell sick three weeks ago and died on 12 April.
While the district police claim that only 20 people attended the funeral and that no cases have been filed, the Madurai Collector has maintained that six persons have been booked for violating prohibitory orders, including the priest of the temple the cow belonged to.
(The article was originally The News Minute and has been reposted with permission.)
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