Altaf Hamid Rao;
District police rounds up 61 Persons for Defying Prohibitory Orders:
MIRPUR ,(Parliament Times): April 26: In an intensive day-long drive to net violators of the lock-down, Mirpur AJK police rounded up at least 61 violators of the prohibitory orders in various parts of the district on Sunday, police said.
They were involved in violating the law in spite of relaxation of the first day of the smart lock-down in the district imposed by the government in Azad Jammu Kashmir with effect from April 25 – after passing of the month long full lock-down to avert spread of the pandemic of novel corona virus in the state, Mirpur Superintendent of Police Raja Irfan Saleem has said.
Talking to this Correspondent Sunday night, the District Police chief said that the arrests were made in a total of 11 cases registered in different police stations including Mirpur city, Thothal, New City, Islamgarh and Mangla against the accused for blatantly violating the lock-down to overcome spread of the deadly virus – Covid-19.
Irfan Salim said that since there was complete ban on plying of inter-city, inter-district and inter-provincial public transport, the police impounded a total of 53 rickshaws besides arresting their drivers as well as seizing 07 motor bikes and apprehending the bikers for violating the strict ban on the bike riding with double passengers n various parts of the district.
It may be added that Mirpur Police had earlier rounded up over 300 persons, including 30 visiting Kashmir-born British nationals in various parts of the district on the charges of defying the prohibitory orders imposed to ensure the strict implementation of the complete lock down since March 24 for overcoming the spread of Corona virus in Azad Jammu Kashmir, 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 current, comparatively relaxed lock-down if anybody found violating the ban imposed to avert the threat of spread of the pandemic.
Raja Irfan Salim strongly advised the general public to avoid even small gatherings outside the houses besides unnecessary travel and use of public transport which was already totally banned inter-city, inter-district and inter provincial routes to and from AJK,.
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 lock down in the State including this district scheduled to be continued till May 24 besides to avoid the threat of spread of the virus that has engulfed bulk of the world so far.