Violence In Punjab By Lockdown Violators
Yogendra is freelance writer
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By Yogendra
First publised on 2020-04-12 21:02:57
About the Author
Yogendra is freelance writer
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Although people have by and large understood the importance of the lockdown and the other measures like social distancing and are bearing the difficulties with fortitude, there are some people who still think that nothing will happen to them if they roam about on the streets, even without masks.
What happened in Patiala today was deplorable. A group of people was challenged by the Punjab Police as they were found to be violating the lockdown. This group came in a car and crashed through several barriers near a vegetable market. When the police asked them for curfew passes, they attacked them. In the fight that ensued, the Nihangs chopped off the hand of assistant sub-inspector Harjit Singh and injured two other officers. They later fled and took refuge inside the Nihang Gurudwara Saheb nearby. After a team of mediators entered the gurudwara, the group surrendered. It is being reported that the police recovered arms, cash and cannabis from them.
While this was a serious matter and the intention of the group will be revealed after an inquiry, there are other places where people are not taking the lockdown seriously. In another incident in Delhi, people burnt down three night shelters allegedly after an altercation over food. Then, it was reported that after warnings to remain inside fell on deaf ears, the police in Rajnagar in Chattarpur district in MP have started locking down homes of offenders from outside. Every day, scores of people are arrested in most towns and cities of the country as they are found roaming without purpose.
These violations are going to multiply once there are relaxations after the 15th of April. Hence the police will have to be on their toes and enforce the lockdown with an iron hand, especially in the red and orange zones. Otherwise, very soon we will have chaos on the streets and it will become impossible to prevent community transmission. Curfew passes must be handed out sparingly after relaxation and timings should be strictly maintained.
