GEORGE TOWN (April 1): Twenty-four students from a college here were arrested for violating the Movement Control Order (MCO) by playing football at a college field in Jalan Cengai, Tanjung Bungah yesterday.

Northeast district police chief ACP Soffian Santong said all the students were detained by a team of policemen who went to the scene at 7.14pm after receiving complaints from the public.

"The locked gates at the location were opened 15 minutes after we arrived. Police found that all of those playing ball in the field were students staying at the college dormitories," he said here today.

He said the culprits, all in their 20s, were arrested for violating the MCO.

"They were later released on police bail and we are completing the investigation papers. The case is being investigated under Section 269 of the Penal Code and Rule 11 on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020," he said.