First day of 'twice-a-week' lockdown successful, to continue today as well

Kolkata: Bengal witnessed a successful state-wide "twice-a-week" lockdown on Thursday with the police maintaining a strict vigil despite incessant rainfall since morning. The lockdown will continue on Friday as well.

A senior police officer said that as many as 2,146 people were arrested and 95 FIRs were lodged till 6 pm for violating lockdown norms. There were Naka-checkings at strategic locations restricting the unnecessary movement of vehicles. The police have seized 16 vehicles as those were found plying without any valid reasons.

"The overall situation remained peaceful when the complete lockdown was imposed across the state and total fines worth Rs 10,600 were imposed by the police for various cases of violation of the set norms on the day of statewide twice-a-week lockdown," said a senior police officer adding that similar police arrangement as that of Thursday will remain in place on Friday as well when the second state-wide lockdown of the week will be imposed. As usual, on other days of complete lockdown, roads were empty with people remaining indoor to "break the chain" to stem the spike in COVID-19 cases. Vehicles, apart from those of essential services, remained off-road. All offices and shops remained closed. Biddhannagar also had a different look from other days with shops and offices shut and people not venturing out.

Police took immediate steps when they found some vegetable sellers setting up their stalls at market places in certain areas including Nandigram in East Midnapore and Baruipur in South 24-Parganas. Interestingly, some locals arranged a competition of catching fishes at a lake in the same area. Soon after receiving the information, the police took immediate steps and stopped the unauthorised activities.

There were police postings at all the entry and exit points of districts and Kolkata Police checked each and every vehicle on Howrah Bridge before allowing it to enter the city.

A police sergeant was critically injured when a car hit him at Kankurgachi as he attempted to stop it after the driver refused to do so despite being directed by police at the previous intersection.

Even drones were used in several areas to ascertain whether anyone was violating the lockdown norms in lanes and bylanes.

On the first day of the statewide lockdown for the two consecutive days, the police have helped many people in getting essential commodities and urgent medicines at different parts of the state besides strictly enforcing norms.

There were no flight and train services on Thursday as will be the case on Friday as well.