Over 8,300 held for defying COVID-19 curbs so far: Noida Police

By Kishor Dwivedi

Noida (UP), Jul 6 () More than 8,300 people have been held in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar for allegedly defying curbs imposed due to COVID-19 so far, according to police data.

Also, challans were issued to owners of 1,14,221 vehicles across Noida and Greater Noida, while another 2,384 were impounded for the violations, the data, updated till July 5, showed.

Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 144 is in force in Gautam Buddh Nagar, where the COVID-19 lockdown had started on March 23 with major restrictions on outdoor movements, in a bid to break the transmission chain of the novel virus.

Eventually, the district, adjoining Delhi in western Uttar Pradesg, too got into the "unlock" mode -- phased re-opening of activities that had been barred to contain the spread of COVID-19.

From March 23 to July 5, the district police registered 2,413 FIRs under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), according to the data available with .

There were 9,718 accused booked for violations, of which 8,302 have been held during the period, it showed.

A total of 3,51,099 vehicles have checked across 200 barrier points in the district and challans issued to 1,14,221 of them, while another 2,384 were impounded, the data stated.

Overall, Rs 32,33,900 have been recovered in fines from erring vehicle owners, it added.

Also, 4,511 emergency vehicles were allowed passage during the checks by the police in the district, where administration has already banned movement between Noida and Delhi except for ambulances, doctors, media, and those directly involved in COVID-19 services.

The police also lodged seven FIRs under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 so far in which five of the nine accused got arrested, according to the data.

Gautam Buddh Nagar has so far recorded 2,765 positive cases of COVID-19 and 978 of them are active cases, according to the official figures available till Sunday.

The district has so far recorded 28 deaths, while 1,759 patients got discharged after treatment for coronavirus, the figures showed. KIS KJ