Janata curfew: Extra police force to ensure strict restrictions in Kashmir

Curfew-like restrictions on the movement and assembly of people will be imposed in Kashmir as part of the Prime Minister's appeal to observe a 'Janata curfew' on Sunday to check the spread of coronavirus, police said.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said extra police force will be deployed in the valley to ensure that strict restrictions are imposed.

He appealed to people to cooperate with the police and other security forces.

"It may be janta curfew by name, but the history of Kashmir is such that whatever the situation is, the restrictions cannot be imposed without the police or security forces enforcing them," he told reporters at a press conference.

He said the motive of the curfew is to break the chain of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

When asked whether the restrictions would continue on Monday, the IGP said that would be communicated to the people as and when required.

Kumar also said that bulk SMS services will be started Saturday evening to allow the spread of awareness messages to the people.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang K Pole, who accompanied the IGP, also appealed to the people to comply with the curfew call as the country has passed the second stage and is entering the stage three of the deadly disease.

"This is the third phase and the fourth and fifth phase will come. In the fourth stage, the numbers do not increase and in the fifth stage, corona is in the winding state like the once currently in China. We cannot tell exactly how many days it will take, but the current stage is the third stage," he said.

The divisional commissioner said the government is alert and prepared to contain the spread of the virus. Kashmir has two facilities to check for coronavirus and samples were being collected at five locations in the valley, he said.

On a question whether the first positive case of the virus in the valley had used VIP influence to escape the mandatory screening, the divisional commissioner said the woman had filled the self-declaration form and was advised home quarantine.

"The Khanyar woman had filled the self-declaration form and had been advised to undergo home quarantine. The doctors had advised her for home quarantine according to the advisories which were in force then. The contact with tertiary institutes when complications developed was a bit late, but we took action immediately by taking various steps. Seventeen people who were in close contact with the woman are in isolation and she is stable," he said.

Pole said the authorities are verifying the travel details of those who reached the valley in the last few days.

Meanwhile, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh chaired a high-level meeting with the heads of all police wings, zones, districts and units to review the preparation in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

He passed necessary directions to safeguard his men from the novel coronavirus and said adequate funds have been made available to all units for making necessary purchases.

"Isolation rooms must be created in all the district police lines and suitable places be identified for providing quarantine facilities to the police personnel," he said.

He directed the zonal inspector generals of police and the medical superintendent to visit these places and make a list of the requirements so that the facilities are made operations as quickly as possible.

"Since police has to respond to different situations which include the quarantine designated places, the men deployed for such duties must be having full protecting gear so that they are safeguarded. Adequate funds have been made available to all the units for making different purchases and more funds will be allocated for providing these facilities," he said.