COVID-19 Pune: Rs 30 lakh fine collected in three days from 12 thousand citizens of rural areas of district

Pune: Acting on the instructions of District Collector Dr Rajesh Deshmukh, the Pune Rural Police has taken punitive action against more than 12,000 citizens from rural areas of the district for not wearing masks and collected a fine of Rs 30 lakhs from them in the last three days.

The highest number of cases in this regard have been registered by Indapur police station out of the total 31 police stations in the district under the jurisdiction of Pune Rural Police force. In the last three days, Indapur police has taken action against 1320 citizens and collected fines of around Rs 1.25 lakh.

After Indapur police, Paud (811) and Saswad (725) police have registered the highest number of cases. Interestingly, the prevalence of coronavirus infections is quite high in Loni Kalbhor, Lonikand and Saswad police stations jurisdictions, but these police stations have taken least action against the violators.

The government has made wearing masks at public places mandatory in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Those who are found violating these norms and putting their own and other lives at risk are fined and action is taken against them under the Epidemic Diseases Act and section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Sandeep Patil said, "Officers in charge of 31 police stations in the district have initiated punitive action against those who walk without masks and spit on the streets. Over a period of three days, the action was taken against more than twelve thousand citizens."