Nearly 40000 persons booked for violating coronavirus lockdown in Uttar Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a nationwide 21-day lockdown beginning March 25 to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Police personnel checking motorists as the country witness lockdown. (Photo | Debadatta Mallick, EPS)

LUCKNOW: Over 12,000 FIRs have been registered against nearly 40,000 persons in Uttar Pradesh for violating coronavirus lockdown, the state government said on Thursday.

"12,236 FIRs have been registered against 39,857 people under Section 188 of IPC for violating coronavirus lockdown. 78 cases have been registered in connection with the circulation of fake news related to COVID-19," Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Avnish Awasthi said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a nationwide 21-day lockdown beginning March 25 to combat the spread of coronavirus.

India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 5,865, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday. 5,218 are active COVID-19 cases and 477 cases have been recovered/discharged and one case migrated.

The death toll has also risen to 169 after 20 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.