Lockdown day 12: Prayagraj turns into a fortress, 15 FIRs for rule violation

Kapil Dixit | TNN | Apr 6, 2020, 22:09 IST

PRAYAGRAJ: Police intensified patrolling in Old City localities and stepped up efforts to maintain law and order during the lockdown on Monday, a day after a man was shot dead in Kareli as an argument between two communities over the Covid-19 contagion turned violent.
Police also urged residents in Old City localities to stay indoors during the 21-day lockdown, which has been enforced to check the spread of novel coronavirus.
Police tightened security in areas like Shahganj, Kareli, Attarsuiya, Colonelganj, Meerapur, Karelabagh and Dhoomanganj on Monday.
Police also booked 56 persons in the past 24 hours for allegedly violating rules of lockdown. On Monday, 27 persons were arrested and 15 FIRs were lodged under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with violations of section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code.
Barricades around 183 crossings and intersections in the district were put up to regulate non-essential traffic movement.
SSP (Prayagraj) Satyarth Anirudh Pankaj said, “About 15 FIRs were registered in different parts of the city like Attarsuiya, Georgetown, Shahagnj, Civil Lines,Cantt, Mutthiganj, Colonelganj, Holagarh ,Sarayinayat, Handia, Naini, Meja and Lalapur in the past 24 hours and 27 persons were arrested.”
The SSP added that police checked over 6,500 vehicles and challaned 1,069 of them. The police had also seized 15 vehicles as well.
On Monday, police intensified patrolling on Prayagraj – Kaushambi, Pratapgarh – Pratapgarh , Prayagraj – Reewa and Prayagraj – Chitrakoot and completely sealed inter-district borders after putting a two- tier barricading system. Additional mobile police pickets were also deployed at seven inter-district border areas.
With the help of drones, police kept a surveillance in narrow pockets in old city area. They also checked whether citizens who came out for important work were practising social distancing. Additional mobile police teams were also deployed in Kareli area.
Meanwhile, health department officials said that all suspected cases of Covid-19 would be admitted to MDI hospial, while those testing postive for novel coronavirus would undergo treatment at the special Covid-19 hospital near Kotwa. Besides, health department has made adequate beds arrangements to deal any kind of situation.
Divisional commissioner (Prayagraj) R Ramesh Kumar on Monday convened a meeting with health, police and other departments to review the situation in view of Covid-19 outbreak.
Meanwhile, a delegation of Congress leaders led by ex-UPCC general secretary Mukund Tiwari on Monday met district officials to demanded that schools should not charge fees for three months fee from parents and guardians.