J&K police sets up 'Ghatak' team to crack down on lockdown violators in Samba

Police in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district on Wednesday set up a special team called "Ghatak" to crack the whip on those who are violating the lockdown in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases, officials said.

Fresh guidelines were issued by the territorial government on Wednesday for enforcing the second phase of the coronavirus lockdown, with the Union home ministry barring all kinds of public transport and prohibiting opening of public places till May 3.

Riding on motor-bikes, the ten-member Ghatak team led by Inspector Suraj Pathania is checking slums, places of migrant labourers, hamlets and other places in the cities to catch hold of those violating lockdown rules and are also educating people on social distancing in the border district.

"We have setup a Ghatak team to crackdown on violators of lockdown. The team will book people for violations and take strict action against violators," Inspector Pathania told reporters.

The team will ensure that no one breaks the lockdown rules, he said.

Police have also come up with a unique initiative, the first of its kind in the Union Territory, by launching a mobile sanitizer vehicle to shield its police personnel from getting infected by the deadly disease. The vehicle will also be pressed into service for the public in view of growing cases of COVID-19, officials said.

The mobile sanitiser vehicle will be used for sanitising police personnel deployed on the frontline at quarantine centres, high-risk zones, border police posts and other check posts.

Police personnel manning the streets during the COVID-19 lockdown are at high risk of contracting the deadly virus and the vehicle is specifically designed for catering to the forces on duty, they added.

For the benefit of public, the specialised vehicle will be used at vegetable markets, outside government ration depots, banks, LPG refilling stations, main bazaars and at other places of essential services, they added.

People will get sanitized with the help of high-grade showers installed in the vehicle fitted with a drum containing disinfectant solution, the officials further said.