To keep an eye on home quarantined, Mumbai cops appoint society residents as ‘monitors’

With an increased work-load on police personnel as they are forced to concentrate more on high-risk red zones, cops have roped in society residents to ensure that

With an increased work-load on police personnel as they are forced to concentrate more on high-risk red zones, cops have roped in society residents to ensure that those ordered home quarantine do not step out of their houses. Home quarantined people are those who may have been exposed to the Sars-Cov-2 virus which spreads Covid-19 and are isolated to see if they develop symptoms of the disease.

HT Image

Mumbai police have identified ‘monitors’ in hundreds of residential societies across the city where over 46,332 home quarantined people are staying. Each home quarantine person has a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stamp on their hand.

“Since we need to focus more on enforcing movement restrictions in containment areas and at the same time also check the movement of those home quarantined, we have turned residential societies’ chairmen, secretaries as ‘monitors’ to see if home quarantined are not stepping out of their homes. We have shared contact numbers and have asked them to inform us if any home quarantined person steps out,” said Viresh Prabhu, additional commissioner of police (central region). The senior officer added that police personnel are also posted at the gates of these societies, even security guards and watchmen have been asked to be more vigilant.

“The concerned police station regularly co-ordinates with the personnel and check status. Our patrolling staff also look for suspects on the street and check their hand for home quarantine stamp. Surprise checks are also being conducted to ensure that nobody steps out,” Prabhu said.

In the city, 12 first information reports (FIRs) have been registered for violation of home quarantine orders, police said. Around 11,368 people finished their quarantine period while over 3,271 are in institutional quarantine facility in Mumbai.

(With inputs from Faisal Malik and Mehul Thakkar)