3,219 arrested in Noida, Greater Noida so far for defying lockdown: police

As many as 3,219 people have been arrested across Noida and Greater Noida in a month - an average 107 arrests a day - for violating lockdown restrictions, according to police data.

Altogether 3,681 people were booked for defying lockdown curbs during the period that saw registration of 944 first information reports (FIRs), stated the police data from March 23 till 7 pm of April 22.

The Uttar Pradesh government had announced a three-day lockdown from March 23 and later a country-wide lockdown was announced, an official told PTI, explaining why the data is from March 23.

The nation-wide lockdown that restricted people's movement outdoors came into force on March 24 and was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an objective to break the transmission of the deadly coronavirus.

The 21-day lockdown was preceded by a day-long voluntary Janata curfew on March 2.

On April 14, Modi announced extension of the lockdown till May 3, as law enforcement agencies across in Gautam Buddh Nagar like elsewhere in the country got down to ensure stricter adherence to the guidelines that included action against those out on streets during the pandemic without a valid reason.

Between March 23 and April 22, 3,681 people were booked for violating the lockdown of which 3,219 got arrested and 944 FIRs were registered, the police data stated.

The FIRs were registered under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and violation of prohibitory orders put in place under CrPC Section 144, which bars assembly of four or more persons.

Separately, five FIRs were registered under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 in which five people were booked and three of them arrested till April 22, the data said.

During the period, 63,273 vehicles were checked across 200 barrier points in the district and challans issued to 12,118 of them for lockdown violation. Another 807 vehicles were impounded for the offence and Rs 1,47,400 were collected in fines, according to the police data seen by PTI.

The district police allowed passage to 3,200 vehicles more than 106 daily on an average -- that were categorised in the emergency services during the period, according to the data.

Gautam Buddh Nagar adjoining Delhi in western UP is one of the worst COVID-19-hit districts in the state and has recorded 103 positive cases of the disease till April 22 evening, trailing only Agra (324) and Lucknow (170), according to official figures.

On the brighter side, 48 of the 103 patients have got cured and discharged in the district, which has identified 33 hotspots areas where more than one COVID-19 case has been detected.