Indore police to deliver FIRs at home of curfew violators

Indore, Apr 16 (PTI) Indore police in Madhya Pradesh are planning 'home delivery' of copies of FIRs to those violating curfew in the city, an official said on Thursday. It has been found that many people in the city stay at home during police patrolling, but later venture out and roam around without any valid reason, thus violating the curfew imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus, Superintendent of Police Puneet Gehlot told PTI.

"We are identifying such people with the help of drone cameras. The copy of the First Information Report (FIR) will be delivered at the homes of these accused and appropriate legal steps will be taken subsequently," he said. Such persons will be booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), he said.

Following some recent bad experiences, the police are taking all precautions and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) while arresting the accused in different cases, he said. "We recently arrested some people. Later, some of them were found to be infected with the coronavirus. As a result, we had to send almost the entire staff of a police station to an isolation centre," Gehlot informed. Indore district is one of the worst hit by coronavirus in the state.

Till Thursday morning, Indore reported 696 COVID-19 cases. The patients include an additional superintendent of police and in-charges of two police stations. So far, 39 coronavirus patients have died in Indore. The local administration has imposed curfew in the urban limits of Indore since March 25 after first coronavirus cases were found.