BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday said that the police should be more restrained in wielding their lathis while enforcing lockdown norms and also behave courteously and patiently with citizens. The latter should also cooperate with law enforcement agencies to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the High Court noted.
When the court’s attention was drawn by the counsel for the petitioners to the alleged police excesses on citizens, for allegedly violating lockdown norms, the court observed that ultimately, the police should strike a balance by showing restraint in using lathis and the citizens should also cooperate with the police in implementing the norms.
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar made this observation while referring to an order passed last year on a similar issue. Meanwhile, Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadagi assured the court that he will immediately take up the issue with the state police chief.