Atleast 703 people held for violating norms across city

Kolkata: Imposing a strict lockdown across the city to stem the hike in COVID-19 cases, the Kolkata Police on Saturday arrested 703 people for violating norms on the second day of the comprehensive twice a week lockdown.

Taking a series of steps to check unnecessary movement of people out of their houses, the Kolkata Police have imposed the lockdown norms strong-handedly in nook and corner of the city.

Besides naka-checking since morning at almost all crucial intersections on major thoroughfares and at all the entry/exit points of the city, the police have used drones to keep a close eye even in lanes and by-lanes. The police also visited different areas including the market areas to ensure no shops, apart from that of the medicine shops, remain open. Drones were used at areas including Gariahat in south Kolkata and different parts of north and central parts of the city.

As many as 703 people were arrested while 368 were booked for not wearing masks and 11 for spitting. The police have prosecuted 14 vehicles till 6 pm. The figure of arrest till noon was 204. Roads were completely empty with vehicles remaining off roads and government and private offices remaining closed.

There were naka-checking at different locations starting from Shyambazar five-point crossing in the north to Park Street at Central Kolkata. There were close checking of vehicles passing through Exide crossing, Tollygunge and Park Circus. People had to show their identity cards or valid documents to get clearances from the police to move ahead.

The rank and file of the Kolkata Police have even maintained a close vigil on the movement of vehicles that were entering the city from Bidhannagar and adjacent districts including Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas.

In the outskirts of Kolkata, 12 people were arrested from Baguiati area. while some shops were found open at Kestapur and Joramandir area. Police have taken immediate steps finding vegetable sellers setting up stalls on the road in the Lake Town area.

Despite requests by the state government to suspend the service on the days of twice a week lockdown, long distance trains have operated from Howrah Station on Saturday. The state had requested the Centre to suspend both the flight and train service on these days.

Though flight services have been suspended, four long distance trains including Delhi-Howrah Special Train entered Howrah Station on Saturday and even some left the station at night.

Around three-pairs of trains remained cancelled on Saturday.

According to a spokesperson of the Eastern Railways, all trains on Saturday cannot be cancelled as there was not much time in hand after being informed by the state government. But we have cancelled all five pairs of trains on Wednesday.

Five long-distance trains of South Eastern Railways including Howrah-Yesvantpur-Howrah Special, Shalimar-Patna-Shalimar Special and Howrah-Bhubaneswar-Howrah Special will remain cancelled on Wednesday. While five more trains will either be short terminated and rescheduled.