Guj lockdown-quarantine violations: Over 3.8k held, 2.6k cases

As many as 3,857 persons have been arrested and 2,653 FIRs lodged so far in Gujarat against persons flouting government notifications as well as home quarantine protocol, with police using drones and checking CCTV footages to maintain law and order, a senior official said on Saturday.

Gujarat Director General of Police Shivanand Jha said over 1,000 FIRs were registered against 1,595 persons in the last 24 hours.

These comprise 608 for violating notifications and 392 for flouting home quarantine norms, he said.

"The total number of FIRs under provisions of Indian Penal Code, Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act in the state is now 2,653. We have arrested 3,857 persons," the DGP said, adding that most of the offences were bailable.

Two people in Dahod and four in Bhavnagar were booked for spreading rumours about the coronavirus outbreak on social media, he said.

"People in home quarantine are regularly being checked by police to see if they are following protocol. We are using drones and checking CCTV footages to keep an eye," he added.

Jha said the gathering of people in the common areas of residential societies is also prohibited and drones are being used to keep a check on this.

He said IPS officers in the state have decided to donate a day's salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.