28% of the state’s Covid-19 calls to cops were from Nagpur

Soumitra Bose | TNN | Updated: Apr 14, 2020, 13:05 IST

NAGPUR: Nagpurians were the highest call makers to the control room related to pandemic Covid-19 in comparison to the rest of the state during the national lockdown period. The city control room received 18,429 calls, the most in the state till 4pm on Monday.
View it as a raised awareness level or faith in the khaki department, the latest data released projected Nagpur police’s control room as having received 28% of the total calls (65,546) for corona-related issues since the lockdown was announced.
Mumbai, which is second in the list, received around 17,396 till date followed by Pune (6,887). On Monday, city police had received 25% of the total calls made to 100 in the state.
DCP, special branch and corona-cell in-charge, Shweta Khedkar, attributed the statistics to the higher level of awareness among citizens related to the coronavirus along with their anticipation of assistance from the police department.
“We have been analysing the calls coming to the control room every day related to the Covid-19 issues. People are alerting the control room regarding over-crowding, suspects, quarantine-related information and many other inter-related issues. Citizens are alerting the police on various aspects of Covid-19 due to the department’s positive role in the society so far during the lockdown,” said Khedkar.
The increased police presence, the popular route marches and other measures under CP BK Upadhyay and Joint CP Ravindra Kadam have won the faith of the commoners and hence they are feeling motivated to call ‘100’.
Apart from the control room, Addl CP, crime, Nilesh Bharne, too, has started a ‘corona war room’ which handles calls round-the-clock on its helpline number for food and other needs. Food packets and ration kits are then distributed to around 75,000 person through police-public initiatives involving NGOs.
The statistics also showed city police having so far registered 2,623 cases against the violators of the lockdown orders till 4pm on Monday. It stands sixth in the state in terms of cases registered after Pune (5,178), Ahmednagar (3,739), Pimpri-Chhindwad (3,284), Solapur (3,198) and Nasikh (2,646).
Jt CP Kadam on Monday formally extended the lockdown period from April 15 to April 30 allowing exemptions for essential and emergency services. He reiterated his warning to citizens of penal action against violators under section 188 of the Indian penal code for the breach of his order under section 144 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC).
State cyber security cell, through SP Balsingh Rajput, informed TOI that 187 cases have been registered in Maharashtra since the lockdown for spreading rumours, fake news and hate messages.
CP Upadhyay said he would also review the functioning of the cyber cell. In the city, only five offences have been registered for misusing social platforms.
On Monday, city police’s traffic department fined 175 persons and seized 35 vehicles for violations.