NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, MAY 12
More than 1 lakh police personnel have been deployed across Gujarat to ensure strict enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines in light of the recent rise in infections, an official said on Wednesday.
હોમ ક્વૉરેંટીન સિનિયર સીટીઝન ને જરૂરી સામાન પહોચાડી મદદ કરતી સાબરકાંઠા શક્તિવીંગ ટીમ. @GujaratPolice @dgpgujarat #Shaktiwing #HelpingHands #SeniorCitizen #Himatnagar #CovidHelp pic.twitter.com/V0HVQqblG9
— Sabarkantha Police (@SPSabarkantha) May 10, 2021
At least 56,000 police personnel, 5,000 staffers of the State Reserve Police (SRP), over 13,000 home guards and 30,000 jawans of the Gram Rakshak Dal (GRD) have been deployed across the state, the official said.
The Gujarat government on Tuesday extended the night curfew and other day-time restrictions in 36 cities by another week, in order to contain the viral spread.
Take Covid-19 vaccine as per schedule and avoid delays to stay safe and well protected against Covid-19 virus
આપના રસી લેવાની અનુસૂચિ મુજબ કોરોનાની રસી સમયસર લેવો અને કોરોનાથી સુરક્ષિત રહેવામાં વિલંબ કરવાનું ટાળવું.#GujaratFightsCovid #VaccineFor18Plus #GujaratPolice pic.twitter.com/gyRT0GuW5u
— Gujarat Police (@GujaratPolice) May 11, 2021
Following the announcement, Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) Ashish Bhatia on Tuesday held a virtual meeting with senior police officers and directed them to strictly enforce the rules and guidelines issued by the state government, a release stated.
All police officers have been directed to ensure that people in their respective areas wear masks, maintain social distancing and follow all the COVID-19-related standard operating procedures, it was stated.
According to the release, the police have been asked to stop any public celebration of upcoming festivals, mainly Eid and Lord Parshuram Jayanti.
Officers have also been directed to keep a check on weddings and ensure that not more than 50 persons are present at venues, it said.
The police have so far registered 514 cases and arrested 666 persons for violating wedding-related notification that prohibits gatherings of more than 50 persons, the official said.
On May 10 alone, the state police registered 2,445 cases related to different violations and arrested 2,423 people, he said.
Apart from this, over 10,000 people were fined for mask violation and for spitting in public, he added.
Police book 125, arrest 15 for religious procession amid pandemic
Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against around 125 people for allegedly flouting COVID-19 guidelines after they took out a religious procession at Palodiya village in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat, an official said.
So far, 15 people have been arrested in connection with the incident that took place around 10 am on Tuesday in Kalol tehsil, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Kalol division), V N Solanki, said.
Around 125 men and women had taken part in the procession to offer prayers, he said.
“Despite creating awareness among rural people against holding such prayers during the COVID-19 pandemic and despite the instructions to sarpanchs (village heads) to inform the police about such gatherings, these people assembled at one place in a large numbers,” Solanki said.
The FIR against those who took part in the procession was registered at Santej police station on Wednsday. While 35 of the participants have been identified, the remaining ones are yet to be identified, he said.
They were booked under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (act likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life), and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, he said.
“We have arrested 15 of these accused persons, and the video footage of the event is being scanned. Soon, we will identify and arrest all of them,” Solanki said.
