With the novel coronavirus threat looming large, a man was thrashed on the streets of Maharashtra's Kolhapur for allegedly sneezing in a public place. The incident transpired on Tuesday, March 17, and was recorded in a CCTV camera nearby.

Reports have it that the man had sneezed several times without covering his face while waiting in traffic on his two-wheeler. A couple who was passing by on a motorcycle objected and told him to wear a mask. Soon, the two parties got into a heated argument in the middle of the road which eventually resulted in the couple beating up the man. Soon, other people on the street joined in.

Coronavirus in Maharashtra
Coronavirus in Maharashtra

Prasad Dille, one of the persons who perpetrated the physical assault, told The Quint that he advised the man to follow the government's advisory and take precautions. He claimed that the man started arguing, spat on him and even abused his wife.

Take a look:

"Following repeated instances of people fleeing Quarantine/Isolation, the Home Ministry is constrained to ask Maharashtra Police to act against such offenders endangering themselves and everyone else under the Epidemic Diseases Act," he wrote on Twitter.

The total number of positive cases in Maharashtra has now reached 49, the maximum for any Indian state. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has made several appeals to the public to take the necessary precautions and refrain from going out.

All malls, schools, theatres, gyms, and swimming pools have been shut to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Moreover, the state government has also announced that only 50 percent of shops will function and that too on alternate days.

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