TikTok videos in quarantine, Odisha DGP warns violators
BHUBANESWAR/BHADRAK: After four videos of a group of persons violating social distancing at a quarantine centre in Bhadrak district went viral on social media, Director General of Police Abhay on Monday issued a stern warning to such violators. Any act which endangers the safety of others during coronavirus pandemic will be dealt with stringently as per law, he said.
“Our hospitality towards the returnees does not mean leniency towards negligent conduct. My appeal to all the returnees to follow the laid down norms while in quarantine,” said the DGP’s official Twitter handle.
Tihidi police station in Bhadrak registered a case against seven persons under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and Section 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of IPC along with Section 51 (obstructs officer in the discharge of his functions) of Disaster Management Act, said Bhadrak SP Rajesh Pandit.
Sources said seven of the nine persons kept in a quarantine centre at Bhatapada in the district violated social distancing by performing plays and uploading videos on Tik Tok app. Six were found to be dancing in one of the videos while one of them was shooting the clip.
Tihidi Block Development Officer and Bhatapada Sarpanch lodged separate complaint with the police on Sunday, following which legal proceedings were initiated against the violators. All of them had returned from West Bengal and Maharashtra and were quarantined in the facility, sources said.
Quarantine period of the six persons was to end soon but now the authorities are mulling extension by shifting them to different institutional quarantine facilities, sources said.
On Sunday the State Government had decided to be strict with implementation of guidelines on the migrant returnees following reports of fleeing from quarantine centres in Ganjam district.
Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy warned that returnees, who are creating nuisance and fleeing from the temporary medical centres will be shifted to quarantine facilities away from their home district.