E-Paper
₹68 lakh collected in fine for violations amid lockdown in Ludhiana
As many as 6,826 people challaned for not wearing mask or maintaining social distancing, and 156 booked for violating the curfew orders between May 10 and 24
Amid the unprecedented Covid cases and deaths in Ludhiana in May, residents’ defiance towards the curfew continues, as reflected in the 156 FIRs lodged in the past 15 days.
Another 6,836 people were challaned for not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing – an average of 455 a day – fetching the police a whopping ₹68.36 lakh in fine.
Worse, these numbers are far higher than those of the previous lockdowns imposed in the region amid the first wave of Covid-19.
As many as 1,622 FIRs were registered for violations between March 23, 2020 and May 10 this year when the 17-hour curfew was imposed, while the number of challans was 1,59,525 – an average of 387 a day.
Commissioner of police Rakesh Agrawal said that apart from issuing challans and lodging FIRs, the police had established four open jails at New SD School, Bahadurke Road, Indoor Stadium on Pakhowal Road, Guru Nanak Stadium and Valmiki Bhawan in Moti Nagar.
Additional deputy commissioner of police-level officials have been deputed as assistant superintendent of jail at these four locations, where people found roaming without a valid reason are held for up to four hours.
He added that the police had also initiated a free ride scheme for the elderly to take them for vaccination. They were also providing food to Covid patients in home isolation with the help of NGOs.
