Mask up or get booked, warn Hyderabad police

Officers of the three commissionerates in the capital region to step up vigil against violators roaming around without wearing masks

Hyderabad: Ignoring the latest State government orders making it mandatory to wear masks while going out can mean trouble in two ways. And contracting Covid-19 is only the second one, with the first to be that there will be a police case booked against you.

With the Telangana government initiating steps to control the spread of Covid-19, police forces in all the three commissionerates in the capital region are stepping up vigil against those violating the orders and roaming around without wearing masks.

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Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar had on Saturday issued orders vide GO 68 empowering the police and district administrations to initiate action against those not wearing masks. With this, teams of police personnel are now on the job to detect those not wearing masks and also those who are not wearing them properly.

A senior officer with the Hyderabad City Police said instructions were issued on Saturday night itself to all the Station House Officers to initiate action against persons not wearing masks. Similarly, the Traffic Police will book cases for violation after taking photographs of the violators. Violations will be checked from the Command and Control Centre as well.

Police in the neighbouring Rachakonda and the Cyberabad Commissionerates too have issued instructions to different wings including the Law & Order and the Traffic Police to register cases against violators.

“On Sunday, we just warned those moving around without masks. From Monday onwards, cases will be booked against violators and action will be initiated,” a Cyberabad Police official said.

The Telangana State Police, during the lockdown last year, had used Artificial Intelligence to detect those not wearing masks moving around on the roads and had booked cases against them. It has not been made clear whether the same strategy will be used now.

According to officials, the police will be empowered to book cases under Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act 2005 and Section 188 of the IPC. Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act attracts imposition of a fine, imprisonment up to two years or both, while Section 188 of the IPC will attract imprisonment up to six months, a fine up to Rs 1,000 or both.

Throwing caution to the winds!

Despite repeated warnings from the health authorities on Covid-19 safeguards, many appear to be taking them lightly.

The situation appeared similar across the city, whether it was in public space or private, bus stop or auto stand, restaurant or chai bandi. “I travelled in a TSRTC bus from Charminar to Nampally. At least 60 per cent of the passengers did not wear masks,” pointed out Shaik Mannan, a private employee.

Near Charminar, hawkers and the visitors were seen moving without masks throughout the day, caring little for the awareness charts put up by the GHMC and the Police Department in the vicinity. The scene was no different in Begum Bazaar where public gathered in large numbers to purchase articles for Holi.

“People are not following social distancing norms at all. If this continues, there will be a heavy increase in Covid cases,” fears Girish Agarwal, a dry fruit trader at Begum Bazaar.

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