People venturing out on the roads on Saturday were in for a rude shock as police officials across the State intensified enforcement of lockdown measures following the top brass’ warning to citizens against unwarranted movement after 10 a.m. Marking a change in strategy to keep people at home, the uniformed men seized more vehicles besides slapping cases and penalties of violators.
The top officials in the State capital directed use of lathis in cases where citizens were found to be not cooperating with the police. A Commissioner has even instructed his personnel to use excess force, if need be, while another advised them to brandish lathis but not without ‘instructions’ from his office.
“We are asked to wield lathis while checking vehicles during lockdown hours. Our counterparts in the neighbouring commissionerate were asked to use force and assured to not worry about the consequences,” a senior police officer said.
This sudden development is said to be an offshoot of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s assessment of lockdown measures during a video conference from Warangal on Friday. Sharing details of the video conference with The Hindu, a top officer in the capital said Mr. Rao was upset over laxity with which the police department was implementing the lockdown across the State.
“He told us that our force is not implementing the lockdown effectively, as a result of which people are venturing out on the streets even during the restricted timings,” the officer said on condition of anonymity.
The CM reportedly told the police bosses that he was not convinced with their ‘style of functioning’ and asked them to step up lockdown measures.
Soon after Mr. Rao’s marathon video conference, DGP M. Mahender Reddy held one with all Commissioners and Superintendents of Police. Later, the Inspectors General of two zones (North and West) held another discussion with unit officers over implementation of lockdown from Saturday, following which the CsP and SsP held a teleconference with their respective officers.
Two youths wearing the T-shirts of two different food delivery apps were caught by the police on Saturday and beaten up in the presence of Cyberabad Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar. Videos of the incident have gone viral on social media.
On Friday evening, Hyderabad Commissioner Anjani Kumar took to Twitter to warn citizens. “This is a warning that we will be very firm from May 22. After 10 a.m., do not come out of your houses,” he stated in an audio message. He said that not many were taking the lockdown seriously, and were exposing the society to the threat of coronavirus by moving on the streets.
“Seen unwarranted movement of youth on roads in lockdown from 10 am onwards. 22nd May 10am onwards vehicles will be strictly checked & seized if violation of GO102 and GO8 is noticed.#YourSafetyOurConcern (sic),” tweeted Rachakonda CP Mahesh M. Bhagwat.
“We care for you. But that’s not enough. We have a larger goal of protecting the community. Requesting your cooperation during the implementation of lockdown in @hydcitypolice. @TelanganaCOPs request you to pl. use the relaxation time and reach your homes before 10 am. Thankyou (sic),” tweeted Hyderabad Joint Commissioner of Police (East Zone) M Ramesh.
Vehicles seized
Police in the Commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachkaonda seized around 8,300 vehicles and booked the same number of cases. Of those, Hyderabad police seized 5,680 vehicles.