Two Weeks Of City Shutdown

Cops pull out all stops to enforce lockdown curbs Massive dip in pollution, Yamuna getting back its life

- Chayyanika Nigam and Ajay Kumar

Two weeks of lockdown are over and there is one more to go before the government takes a decision of whether to extend it or not. But how did Delhi respond to the lockdown?

By and large, people restricted themselves to their homes amid heavy security presence on the streets as Coronavirus cases crossed the 570-mark in the Capital by Tuesday.

Not that there were no exceptions where people violated the rule. From lying about purchase of essential items such as medicines and groceries to faking sick or a visit to hospital, a good number of people found various ways to violate the lockdown.

Responding in quick time, Delhi police undertook a crackdown. As on Wednesday, as many as 4,933 FIRs were registered since March 25 for violation of lockdown. Another 91,589 people were detained and more than 12,825 vehicles impounded.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered 1.3 billion people in the country to stay inside their homes for three weeks starting March 25 as a measure to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

On Monday, for example, Delhi Police detained a person who was smuggling liquor in milk containers on his motorbike in New Delhi district. There were cases, in which people came out of their residences. Poorva Mishra, a 29-year-old woman, along with her two children, was caught in Uttam Nagar by the police when she was giving a joy ride to her kids.

“Regular surveillance is being done through physical verification and technical monitoring also. The violators are being booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 of Epidemic Diseases Act,” MS Randhawa, Delhi Police spokesperson said.