Cops collect Rs15.7 lakh fine from 4,975 for not wearing masks

Nagpur: Citizens taking lightly the rule of wearing mask in public got a stick from the cops on Tuesday as a record 4,975 persons were booked in the city under a drive launched by CP Amitesh Kumar.
City’s traffic wing, under DCP Vikram Sali, was instrumental in fining 2,133 persons and collecting Rs9.28 lakh while the cops from 33 police stations collected another Rs 6.37 lakh fine from 2,842 violators. “We will continue with the drive as of now,” said Kumar.
NMC’s nuisance detection squads (NDS) too caught 649 persons loitering without masks on the road recovering fine of more than Rs 1.29 lakh. Around 180 civic cops were deployed across the city for the special drive. The highest number of the violators was found in Dharampeth zone (204) followed by Mangalwari zone (135).
The decision of the simultaneous citywide drive against those not wearing masks was taken following the meetings of mayor Sandeep Joshi, NMC chief Radhakrishnan B and CP Kumar. The civic and police agencies decided to jointly or in parallel act towards various goals to tackle the spiraling numbers of Covid cases in the city.
Joshi and Radhakrishnan are learnt to have visited certain places to monitor the situation while Jt CP Nilesh Bharne too remained present at different locations during the day long action.
DCP, traffic, Sali said there had been misconception among many motorists regarding wearing of masks while driving but they are bound to follow the norms. “We are following the central and state guidelines and there is no exception for motorists. As the pandemic is getting severe, citizens are expected to co-operate or else police will come down heavily on them,” he said.
Lakadganj police, under PI Narendra Hiware, were among the most active. “We have fined more than 200-250 violators at different places, especially at Marwadi chowk and Darodkar chowk,” he said.
Tehsil police under PI Jayesh Bhandarkar said around 160 persons were fined for not wearing masks. Traffic division of Sadar under Atul Sabnis and Cotton Market under PI Shailesh Sankhe were among the highest fine collectors.