Sood pulls up city top cop over lockdown breach

BENGALURU: Director General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood has instructed City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao to strictly enforce the lockdown.“Where are the barricades and where are the traffic police officers to check the lockdown violations?” the DG&IGP asked Rao in an internal communication to Rao on Monday.

Sood said that the state government has decided to maintain status quo with regard to movement of vehicles, but suddenly there is large movement of vehicles. “The barricades, which had effectively enforced the lockdown till Sunday have disappeared. Even where there are barricades there are no policemen or officers to check the passes,” Sood has stated in his letter.

“Where are the traffic police officers, who in any way are not engaged in law and order duties?” Sood asked Rao to instruct his officers to seize passes issued by outstation officers like deputy commissioners and superintendents of police.

“Emergency passes (returnable) should be given to people with genuine requests at the police station level. Barring some movement in mornings and evenings during office hours, there should be zero tolerance towards unnecessary movement of vehicles,” Sood said.The top cop told the city police chief that he would conduct surprise visits to check the enforcement of the lockdown.