111 held for violating curfew in Punjab, 232 FIRs lodged

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

The state police on Tuesday registered 232 FIRs and arrested 111 persons for violation of the curfew imposed by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in the state to contain Covid spread, even as they worked out a comprehensive strategy to ensure doorstep delivery systems and other basic facilities to people across the state.

While the maximum of 38 FIRs were registered in SAS Nagar (Mohali), 34 Amritsar (rural), and 30 each in Tarn Taran and Sangrur, said DGP Dinkar Gupta, adding that the maximum of 43 persons were arrested from Tarn Taran, followed by 23 Kapurthala, 15 Hoshiarpur, 13 Bathinda, five Ferozepur, five Patiala, four Gurdaspur and two Ludhiana rural.

The districts that had zero violation of curfew were Khanna, Pathankot, Barnala, Ludhiana, Fazilka and Mansa. Two cases of violation of quarantine restrictions were also reported during the day, disclosed Gupta, adding that these were from Muktsar, which also reported four cases of curfew violation.

A total of 38,160 police personnel have been deployed on the ground in various districts for the enforcement of curfew, including sealing of affected clusters (SBS Nagar), besides maintenance of essential supplies and law and order. These include 981 volunteers.

The DGP directed all district police chiefs to ensure that curfew passes were provided on need basis to maintain essential services, including telecom, banks, ATMs, journalists, newspapers, doctors, paramedics, sanitary workers, electricians, plumbers etc.

He also exhorted the field staff to work as missionaries and social workers in such testing times for the citizens. He asked them to raise and deploy a team of about 50-100 policemen to coordinate the supply of food and medicines to the people.

He further asked them mobilise young citizens along with delivery boys to establish a supply line between kirana shops and consumers to ensure doorstep delivery of food and other essential items.

The DGP advised the district police chiefs to allow the smooth movement of trucks across interstate borders to carry food items into Punjab.

Rights panel told to act against cops

Chandigarh: A human rights body has appealed to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission to act against the state police for thrashing people for curfew violation and circulating their videos. Satnam Singh Dhaliwal, president, Universal Human Rights Organisation, has sought directions to the DGP to stop “on-the-spot punishment” terming it illegal and violation of human rights. TNS

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