Janta curfew: B’luru police chief caution people against venturing out

Team Udayavani, Mar 22, 2020, 9:41 AM IST

Bengaluru: The city police cautioned people that action will be taken under certain sections of law if they venture out unnecessarily on the day of the ”Janta curfew” announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Requesting citizens to stay at home by observing the ”curfew” to fight the spread of COVID-19, Bengaluru Police chief Bhaskar Rao cautioned people against venturing out unnecessarily. Stating that security and control room at the Commissioners office will be open, while others will be on streets to implement ”Janta Curfew”, he said everyone should stay at home.

“Or else IPC section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), also Epidemic Act and 31(L) of the Karnataka Police Act will be brought in to force,” Rao said.

“Though this ”Janta Curfew” is voluntarily, police through social media and media are requesting people that they should stay at home.

Coming out unnecessarily for fun, or to see how the situation was, or going for picnic should not be done,” Rao said.

People should take things seriously, understand their responsibility and stay at home, he told reporters, adding that unnecessarily venturing out for walking or to see someone should not be done.

Calling for “resolve and restraint” to fight coronavirus, Prime Minister Modi during his address to the nation on Thursday asked the country to observe ”Janta curfew” on Sunday from 7 am-9 pm. Modi said no citizen, barring those in essential services, should get out of their house, and asserted that it will be a litmus test to show how much India is ready to take on the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rao also requested women to see to that their children and husband stay at home.

“This is my request to sisters. Stay at home, no work is important than life. Understand it, if things cross a level it cannot be controlled; now we are at a stage where we can control,” he added.