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Despite warnings, many violate lockdown norms
The Mumbai Police continued cracking down on people gathering in one place unnecessarily despite repeated warnings. The police have registered 328 FIRs against approximately
The Mumbai Police continued cracking down on people gathering in one place unnecessarily despite repeated warnings. The police have registered 328 FIRs against approximately 600 people for violating lockdown norms on Tuesday. Since Monday, the police have started stressing on lodging FIRs to ensure effective lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19.
As first reported by Hindustan Times, on Monday the number of FIRs lodged against violators rose from the daily average of 61 since March 20 to 292 on Monday. On Tuesday the figure further rose to 347, which includes 328 cases for unnecessarily gathering in public. Of these 328 cases, 104 were from north region (Goregaon to Dahisar) followed by south region (Cuffe Parade to Tardeo) with 67 cases and East region (Kurla East, Chembur to Mulund) with 68 cases.
With G South ward being the worst-hit area by coronavirus in the city, Sukhlal Varpe, senior inspector, Worli police station, said Jeejamata Nagara in Worli has been sealed completely. Varpe said, “Around five police officers and 20 police constables are deployed round the clock to ensure people stay at home. We have started a helpline number where people can call in case of emergency. On Tuesday, we, along with an NGO, distributed around 4,000 ration kits to locals having 15 days’ ration. We are not allowing people to come in or leave the area.”
In another incident, a restaurant owner and staff at Nagpada in south Mumbai was booked for running the restaurant in violation of complete lockdown after a video of the hotel allowing customers inside hotel premises went viral on social media.
Kirit Somaiya stopped from travelling
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya was stopped by the Mumbai Police from travelling out from his residence in Mulund (East) on Wednesday morning. Somaiya was taken to Navghar police station and was allowed to leave in the evening. Somaiya, in his tweets, had said he was detained and arrested, but the police denied his claims and said he was restrained from travelling.
Action taken by Maharashtra Police till April 8
“We have lodged 15 FIRs for visa violation under the Foreigners Act against 156 foreigners across the state including 32 in Mumbai. We have made 977 cases of illegal transport arresting 1,886 people, seized 12,420 vehicles and collected a fine of ₹95.56 lakh from them,” said Special IGP, L&O, Milind Bharambe.
A total of 27,432 FIRs have been registered against people for violating lockdown orders. Another 60 FIRs have been lodged for assault on police with 161 people arrested in these cases. A total of 12,420 vehicles have been seized unnecessarily plying on roads, said Vinayak Deshmukh, assistant IGP, L&O, Maharashtra police.
Hate speech sees spike on social media: Maharashtra Cyber
Balsing Rajput, SP, Maharashtra Cyber police, said, “Over the past four days, there has been an increase in hate speech and communal crimes over social media. A total of 27 FIRs have been registered over the past two days (Monday and Tuesday) for hate speech across the state. Since the beginning of the lockdown till Tuesday, about 113 cases have been registered for fake news, rumours and hate speech.”
