Kota: Constable, home guard jawan test COVID-19 positive; 15 fined for not wearing masks

A police constable and a home guard jawan on Tuesday tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Rajasthan's Kota district, taking the tally to 108, as authorities fined 15 people Rs 100 each for not wearing face masks in public.

The 55-year-old constable is posted at Makbara Police Station while the 47-year-old home guard belongs to Mokhapada area of Kota city, officials said.

The entire staff of the police station has been quarantined after the constable's test report arrived, said Circle Inspector Devesh Goyal. He took charge after the Makbara Police Station staff was quarantined.

The district authorities, meanwhile, cracked the whip against those found without masks in public.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic in the state, the Rajasthan government had on April 9 made it mandatory to wear the masks in all urban areas and agriculture mandis of the state.

The violators could be prosecuted under section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, with provision of monetary fine or imprisonment extending up to one year or both.

A police team spotted some people going to various places without wearing masks, Kanwas Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Rajesh Daga said.

The team first explained to the people about importance of wearing masks and then slapped fines on them. All the 15 violators were allowed to go with a warning after the fine payment, the SDM added.

He said it was probably for the first time in the state that action was taken under the Disaster Management Act to impose fine for not wearing masks.