New Delhi, Every day 6,693 people in Delhi violates the complete lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, sources in Delhi Police said on Saturday. In fact, over 300 of them move around without a mask that has been made mandatory to help fight the disease that has already claimed 50 lives here alone.
On an average every day, the city police have registered 521 cases so far for disobedience of order issued by Commissioner of Delhi Police S.N. Shrivastava and have also impounded 809 vehicles per day.
So far a total of 2.2 lakh people in the national capital have defied the government's order of lockdown since it was enforced on March 23.
"A total of 2,20,873 people ignored the law enforcement agency's – Delhi Police – curfew order. These many people from March 23, 2020, to April 24, 2020, have disobeyed lockdown orders of the police," the source said.
It was found that these people have been booked under section 65 of The Delhi Police Act, 1978. Section 65 states that when people resist, refuses or fails to comply with any direction given by a police officer in the discharge of his duties, they can be detained.
Between March 23 and April 24, the police have registered 17,216 cases under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.
In one month, the police here has impounded a total 26,689 vehicles. The vehicles have been impounded under Section 66 in The Delhi Police Act, 1978. Under section 66, police to take charge of unclaimed property found lying in any public street, if the owner or person in charge of such property, on being directed to remove the same, refuses or fails to do so.
"Between April 10, 2020, and April 24, 2020, a total 5,726 cases of mask violations were reported from the national capital," the source said.
On April 9, Chief Secretary of Delhi Vijay Dev in an order made the wearing of face masks mandatory when people leave their homes. Not wearing a mask while stepping out of your house in Delhi would land you in jail for up to six months, according to that order. It also invites fines between Rs 200 and Rs 1,000.
The chief secretary said violators will strictly be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. "No person/officer will attend any meeting/gathering without wearing masks. These masks may be standard masks available with the chemist or even homemade washable masks that can be reused after proper washing and disinfecting them," the order had stated.
(IANS)
