Maha police collect ₹53L in fines for violations in a day

Maharashtra police in their effort to strictly enforce lockdown collected ₹53,06,050 as fine in one day from those found violating lockdown norms.

Maharashtra police in their effort to strictly enforce lockdown collected ₹53,06,050 as fine in one day from those found violating lockdown norms.

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From March 22 when lockdown was imposed across the state, till July 3, the state police collected ₹10,32,34,611 as fines. Between July 3 and July 4, the amount increased to ₹10,85,40,661, according to official statistics shared by the state police.

“Citizens of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai were the biggest contributors to these statistics since inter-district and regular movement of people in these cities are high. A lot of people continue to move out of their homes because of misinformation on lockdown being lifted,” said Milind Bharambhe, inspector general of police (law and order), state police.

The fines, which range from ₹200 to ₹2,000, were mainly collected by police for those found violating lockdown regulations including riding pillion on two-wheeler, four passengers riding in a four-wheeler as opposed to the permitted three persons, not following government orders and venturing out without valid reasons among others.

“We take action under section 179 of Motors Vehicles Act against those who are violating government orders and impound their vehicles under sections 207 of the Act. At the time of releasing the impounded vehicle, we check for any unpaid e-challan on the vehicle and collect fine accordingly. We also collect fine from violators if we find they have not done all compliance as per traffic rules which include PUC renewal, vehicles papers, license and insurance,” said Pravin Padwal, additional commissioner of police (Mumbai traffic police).

Apart from fines, violators who were not following movement restrictions and other lockdown restrictions have been booked in cases under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection), 271 (disobedience to quarantine rules) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and Maharashtra Covid-19 Regulation, 2020. Under this, the accused are arrested and released on bail.

Since March 22 till July 4, as many as 1,45,896 cases have been registered across the state under section 188 of the IPC while 29,607 people were arrested and 88,306 vehicles were impounded for violations of lockdown rules.

Last Sunday saw maximum action from the Mumbai Police after it enforced a 2-km movement restriction to control the spread of the pandemic.

Two more cops succumb to Covid-19

A 50-year-old head constable attached with the protection branch of the Mumbai Police, who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at SevenHills Hospital in Marol, died on Saturday.

After the head constable showed symptoms, he tested positive for Covid-19 on June 28. “He was immediately admitted to SevenHills Hospital as he complained of breathlessness. He was kept in ventilator support two days ago, but he died on Saturday around 12.30pm” said deputy commissioner of police Datta Nalawade.

In the second case, a 56-year-old head constable attached to the main control room of Government Railway Police (GRP), succumbed to Covid-19. He was admitted to Sapphire Hospital in Kalwa after complaints of breathlessness and tested positive. He was on ventilator support and died on Saturday evening, said GRP officials.

The number of deaths in the city police force has now reached 43, and that in the state is 66.