Noida: 8 arrested for defying lockdown, 179 vehicles owners penalised

Eight people were arrested and challans issued to owners of 179 vehicles across Noida and Greater Noida for allegedly defying the lockdown on Tuesday, the Gautam Bddh Nagar police said.

Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 144 is in force in Gautam Buddh Nagar, which falls in the red zone for COVID-19, even as lockdown restrictions continue due to the pandemic, prohibiting normal movement in this district in western Uttar Pradesh adjoining Delhi.

"Five FIRs were registered on Tuesday for lockdown violations and eight people arrested. A total of 803 vehicles were checked across 200 barrier points in the district and challans issued to (owners of) 179 of them, while one was impounded," the police said in a statement.

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 people, they said.

Noida's border with Delhi continues to remain sealed with movement permission only for essential services and to those having passes issued by the district administration, according to officials.

The administration had in April banned movement between Noida and Delhi in a bid to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission as several cases of coronavirus here were linked to the national capital, the officials said.

As of Tuesday, 289 positive cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the district including five deaths, while 207 patientshave recovered and got discharged from hospitals, according to official figures.