Bihar battles Covid-19: ₹9.60 lakh fine collected on lockdown day 1

Bihar police said most lockdown violations related to pillion riding on two-wheelers, more than three passengers in four-wheelers, venturing out without valid reason, among others.

Bihar Police collected over ₹9.60 lakh in fines on the first day of the 10-day long lockdown in the state for violation of Covid-19 containment regulations. Most were fined for roaming on streets without valid reason. Seven persons were also booked in five separate cases of violations.

Bihar Police personnel checking vehicles at Kargil Chowk in Patna amid total lockdown imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The Bihar Police seized 448 vehicles and collected ₹8 lakh in fine from the motorists, while ₹1.64 lakh was collected from over 3,300 people caught for not wearing a face mask, as per the figures released by police headquarters.

Bihar police started penalising residents for not wearing mask since April 1. So far, ₹65 lakh has been collected in fines from 130,318 residents, found without a mask. The police have also registered 104 FIRs and arrested 144 people for lockdown violations.

Similarly, 150, 344 vehicles have been seized till date, resulting in fines totalling ₹4.29 crore, said additional director general (ADG) police, (Headquarters) Jitendra Kumar.

He said most lockdown violations related to pillion riding on two-wheelers, more than three passengers in four-wheelers, venturing out without valid reason, among others.

Cases under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread disease dangerous to life), 270 and 271 (disobeying quarantine rules) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Epidemic Act and the Disaster Management Act have also been filed against violators.

The Bihar government announced lockdown after state’s health infrastructure was paralysed under the burden of rising Covid-19 cases in the second wave of Covid infection beginning the month of April. The lockdown order became effective on May 5 and will remain in force till May 15. Of the total 538,677 Covid-19 cases reported in Bihar so far, the state has 113,479 active cases as on Tuesday. It has also recorded 2,987 Covid deaths till now. Patna has been the worst affected district with 115,183 cases and 862 deaths.