Delhi police detain over 5,000 for flouting coronavirus lockdown, doesn’t rule out curfew
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday registered 299 cases under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code amid the lockdown imposed in the national capital due to the coronavirus outbreak. 5,146 people were also detained under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, while 1,018 vehicles were impounded. “Punjab has also imposed curfew in parts of the state. If the situation in Delhi gets grave, a complete curfew may be imposed,” a senior police official, said.
COVID-19 LIVE | 21-day lockdown starts, flight carrying Indian passengers lands in Delhi
On visiting several parts of the national capital, the Morning Standard found out that the lockdown has made quite an impact. “Delhi Police has deployed a good number of policemen on the ground and made strict arrangements to stop the people from violating the laws and lockdown. Only, people who are in an emergency or are coming out to buy essential items such as medicines and groceries are being allowed out,” said a policeman.
Also, to provide smooth movement for ambulances and people with health emergencies, Delhi Police has created a separate lane for across the city and near Delhi-Noida-Ghaziabad and Gurugram border.“Residents of Delhi are advised to strictly follow the lockdown directions. Yesterday, more than 900 persons were prosecuted by Delhi Police under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Delhi Police Act for violating the directions,” said Delhi Police in a tweet.The police added that officers along with MCDs were making announcements asking the public to stay indoors and keep others safe.
#LockdownQuery for citizen’s questions
Delhi Police also launched a hashtag— #LockdownQuery— on social media to answer basic queries regarding the lockdown. “If you have any questions on the lockdown, tweet your query with the hashtag lockdown between 5-6 pm. We will answer it for you,” said the tweet.