Coronavirus: 1,017 cases filed in Bhopal district for lockdown violation

The Bhopal Police have so far registered over 1,000 cases related to violation of lockdown which is in force since late last month in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Monday. A Bhopal police spokesman said a total of 1,017 cases were registered till Sunday evening for violation of the lockdown in the district. These cases related to defying government orders issued for compliance of the lockdown, implemented to halt the spread of the deadly viral infection,he said.

Most of these cases were registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant). "Besides, some people were booked under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act (invoked to deal with the pandemic), the spokesman said.

In some of the cases, people were booked under the Excise Act, in addition to relevant IPC sections, for possession of liquor, he said. The Bhopal Police spokesman said most of the people were booked for roaming on roads without any valid reason or opening shops not covered by lockdown exemption. The police have been monitoring the situation through CCTV surveillance system under which 1,365 cameras have been installed in different areas of the state capital, said officials.

So far, 139 COVID-19 patients have been found in Bhopal and three of them have succumbed to the disease, they said. The district administration imposed a curfew since the announcement of the nationwide lockdown on March 25. In addition, over 1,000 containment zones have been identified in the city based on detection of coronavirus patients in these areas, the officials said.