Number of those arrested rises to at least 260 for defying prohibitory orders
Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR, (Parliament Times): AJK police rounded up 46 more violators of the lock down at 8th of the strong prohibitory orders in various parts of Mirpur district of Azad Jammu Kashmir raising the number of those arrested in various parts of the city and rest of the district till the third successive day of the prohibitory orders to at least 260 besides impounding of at least 50 motor cycles and a car used by the violators, police said. Disclosing this Mirpur Superintendent of Police Raja Irfan Saleem told this Correspondent here Tuesday that fresh arrests were made in a total of 21 cases registered in different police stations on a single day Tuesday against the accused for violating the complete lock-down imposed since Tuesday last to overcome spread of the deadly pandemic – Covid-19.
Police had earlier apprehended over 200 persons, including 30 visiting Kashmir-born British nationals were rounded up in various parts of the district on the charges of defying the prohibitory orders imposed to ensure the strict implementation of the 3-week complete lock down for frustrating the spread of Corona virus in Azad Jammu Kashmir,
The district police chief said that at least 85 FIRs have been registered in various police stations of Mirpur district including the PSc of Mirpur city, Thothal, Afzalpur and Dadayal against all of the 96 persons arrested on Wednesday under section 188 Cr. PC for violating the lock down through roaming in the streets unnecessarily. The SSP firtjer said that earlier, the police booked the violators in 8 cases registered Tuesday night in various police stations in the district including the city police station, Afzal Pur, Harlan, New City and Dadyal police station. The district police chief said that earlier 30 of the Kashmir-origin British nationals were apprehended in various parts of Dadayal sub division of this districts for defying the prohibitory orders riding mostly bikes unnecessarily during lock-down that was imposed for next three weeks in AJK to disband the spread of the epidemic in the area.
Those others who were arrested earlier included seven persons in Mirpur city, 35 rounded up in adjoining Jatlaan area in three cases, 3 nabbed in a case of taking law in hand in New City and five rounded up by the police station of Afzalpur for violating the ban on general movement during the lock down, Irfan Saleem said. Cases have also been registered against these accused and further investigations are in progress, the SSP said. Replying to a question Raja Irfan Saleem said that the overall situation was in full control as mostly the masses strictly obeyed the prohibitory orders imposed in the wake of the lock-down across the district.
The SSP again warned that the law enforcement authorities will be compelled to take more stringent action against the violators of the lock-down if anybody found violating the ban imposed to avert the much impending threat of spread of the pandemic. The District police chief strongly advised the general public to avoid unnecessary travel and use of public transport. Avoid unnecessary travel and use of public transport, which is already totally banned inter-city, inter-district and inter provincial routes to and from AJK, avoid crowded places and large gatherings, do not spit in public.
Those violating the lockdown orders can face legal action under the prevailing Epidemic Diseases Act which lays down punishment as per Section 188 of the AJK Penal Code for flouting such orders, the SSP warned.
Irfan Saleem further advised the population to stay in to their houses in line with the medical advisory of the government avoiding unnecessary outing during whole of the period of the 3-week lock down in the State including this district to avoid the threat of spread of the virus that has engulfed bulk of the world so far. Meanwhile, the AJK government has against appealed to the people across the liberated territory to stay in their homes and take the lockdown with utmost sincerity as carelessness of few can throw all others into the grave jeopardy. The Government has also urged the general public to maintain social distancing as it is the key to stop and prevent the spread of Covid-19 from those who are infected.
People must take basic precautions for personal hygiene; frequent hand washing with soap and observing coughing and sneezing etiquette. The authorities have called upon the general public to strictly follow the advisories issued by the Government from time to time and rely only on the information released by the Government through the daily print and electronic media. “The intervention includes remaining out of crowded settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others,” the advisory said.
Further, the AJK Government has appealed the masses to not panic and take care of health and protect others.