Mumbai: Fed up of citizens failing to grasp the seriousness of the situation and flagrantly violating lockdown rules, Mumbai Police were forced to discipline some violators in Bhendi Bazar, Pydhonie, Mohammad Ali Road, Nagpada and adjoining areas on the spot, while others were booked under stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
On Saturday, there was heavy police bandobast in the area, to prevent loitering. Police, including the reserve forces, were deployed on the roads, making loiterers do sit-ups or using other forms of corporal punishment at Mohammad Ali Road. On Friday night, police had conducted flag marches in the area, appealing to people not to step outside.
"Even after the lockdown was announced and after repeated appeals, people are not complying, unnecessarily stepping outside their houses and are accompanied by two or three others. This is the reason we decided to step up action," said Sangramsingh Nishandar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 1.
Police have also made it clear that while people can step out of their houses to buy essentials, those found loitering on the roads without valid reasons will be booked under the relevant sections of the IPC. In the last few days, police have also seized many bikes from the area.
Along with instant justice, police have also increased the registration of cases, booking loiterers under the IPC sections for disobeying public servant's order (188), unlawfully or negligently spreading infection of any disease dangerous to life (269) malignant acts likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life (270) and under the COVID-19 regulations.
