Despite the urgent need for social distancing and avoiding unnecessary commutation, several people were seen flouting guidelines issued by various State Governments for public safety in the wake of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. In order to make such violators comply with the lockdown, the police have come up with creative measures.
In Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, cops publicly shamed miscreants, unnecessarily wandering on the streets during the ‘Janata Curfew‘ on Sunday, by making them hold posters that read, “I am the enemy of the society. I would not stay at home.” A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against 50 such people in Ghaziabad as well.
‘I am enemy of the society; I would not stay home’ – read the pamphlets handed over by Uttar Pradesh Police to the people who were found wandering unnecessarily on streets during #JantaCurfew in #Bareilly yesterday. #CoronavirusPandemic pic.twitter.com/qnKfdnEYEB
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2020
FIR has been registered against 55 people for violating lockdown in Ghaziabad: Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani (File photo) pic.twitter.com/TWp0y5N3DL
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2020
A similar strategy was adopted by Madhya Pradesh police as well in Mandasur district. Those found violating CrPC Section 144 (unlawful assembly) was snapped with pamphlets that shamed them for exposing others to the deadly coronavirus. In its defence, SP Hitesh Chaudhary said, “This is a part of a social experiment to make people stay at home.”
Madhya Pradesh: Police make people get clicked with pamphlets reading ‘I’m enemy of society; I won’t stay home’ if they are found violating section 144 in Mandsaur. SP Hitesh Chaudhary says, “This is part of a social experiment to make people stay home”. #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/GMfzCEHJHb
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2020
Punjab Police is also not leaving any stone unturned to make people aware of the coronavirus. A video of Punjab Police dancing to an altered version of the Punjabi folk song, ‘Bari Barsi’ had gone viral on social media. The cops were also seen punishing defaulters of lockdown by making them ‘Murga‘, a form of corporal punishment quite prevalent in the subcontinent. They also made violators hold pamphlets that read, Main Samaaj Da Dushman Haa. Main Ghar Vich Nahin Rahanga (I am an enemy of the society. I will not stay at home.)
Punjab Police making a murga out of violators not staying at home.
— Man Aman Singh Chhina (@manaman_chhina) March 23, 2020
Also make them hold signs which say “Main samaaj da dushman haa. Main ghar vich nahin rahanaga”. pic.twitter.com/qHx4CUHs2f
Pictures of Rajasthan Police stopping wanderers on the streets and making them accept their mistake of endangering the lives of others had also come to light.
This is how Rajasthan Police is shaming people out on streets for no emergency reasons. Desperate times need Desperate Measures. #LockdownNow #Quarantine #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/zTaejJAmuG
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) March 23, 2020
The Wuhan coronavirus pandemic has created a sense of fear and panic among the masses. Around 422 people have been infected while 8 have lost their lives. A complete or partial lockdown has been imposed in several states such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Telangana, Odisha, Rajasthan etc. The operation of domestic flights has also been curtailed.
Earlier, the Gujarat government had put up posters outside houses of people who have been kept under home quarantine to prevent others from entering their houses. One poster read, “Do not visit this house, this is under quarantine.” The Ahmedabad Police has registered a case against a crowd of people for violating section 144 during the Janta Curfew on Sunday. At around 5 PM, many in the state took out processions, with complete disregard for social distancing and avoiding public gatherings. Many youngsters were found shooting videos by riding triple seat on the bikes in the middle of the curfew.
