Covid curbs: Police across state crack down on violators
KOLKATA: A day after the state government imposed stricter restrictions for 15 days from Sunday to check the spread of Covid, Kolkata Police intensified the crackdown on violators of Covid curbs and safety protocols in various parts of the city.
Till 8 pm on Sunday, 73 persons were either arrested or prosecuted and 85 vehicles were seized for violating the total safety restrictions. This apart, 344 people have been prosecuted for not wearing masks. Since morning, naka-checking was conducted at several places, including the major intersections in the city. Every vehicle crossing these intersections was stopped for checking. In the morning, personnel from all police stations visited local markets in order to ensure that the Covid protocols were followed. Action was taken to ensure that all shops were shut within the deadline. Various restaurants, bars, hotels, beauty parlours, spas, gymnasiums and shopping malls were under strict vigilance to curb the effect of the pandemic. Some grocery stores in the city were shut down in Kolkata after the owners were found to be operating beyond the stipulated time of 7 to 10 am.
At Girish Park, cops slapped a fine of Rs 500 on a motorcycle rider who violated the new curbs. When stopped by the cops, the rider said he was travelling to buy fish from Manicktala market assuming that the shops would remain open beyond the stipulated time.
In another instance, a taxi driver took one of his friends with him while carrying two passengers. At Hazra crossing, cops stopped the taxi to enquire about the reason for travel. The passengers told the cops that they needed to go to a hospital, but they do not know the person sitting beside the driver. The cops learnt that the driver had taken the man along with him to take a round of the city. Cops warned the driver and let the taxi go but did not allow the driver's friend to board the vehicle again. A milk van was detained at Park Circus for carrying some migrant labourers, who were travelling to Howrah station to board a Bihar-bound train.
Kolkata Police have launched an 'e-pass' facility for movement of essential service providers and online order delivery services. The essential service providers will need to fill up a form on the web address https://coronapass.kolkatapolice.org. After submitting the online application, the e-pass will be sent to the applicant's email which can be printed and pasted on the vehicle's windscreen. Not just in Kolkata, police in other parts of the state also took strict action against the violators.
Bidhannagar Police have also arrested 31 persons and seized two cars for violating the safety restriction norms. According to police sources, during the previous lockdown tenure last year, more people were seen violating the government order. Apart from the naka checking, Bidhannagar Police had maintained the prepaid taxi booth located at the Kolkata airport with around 70 taxis. In Serampore in Hooghly district, two employees of a gymnasium were detained for letting a few members enter the facility through the back door. Though the sweetmeat shops are allowed to operate only between 10 am to 5pm, owners of four shops had violated the norm at Dantan in East Midnapore. They were arrested for opening the shops before time.
Meanwhile, grocery stores operating beyond the allowed business hours in East Burdwan, East Midnapore, North 24-Parganas, Purulia and Hooghly districts were also shut down.
