Hyderabad: Cops to be tough on violators

Hyderabad: Taken aback by the impunity with which the residents in the Old City are openly violating the lockdown rules, Director General of Police Mahender Reddy on Monday said the police would hence forth be very tough with those who violate the lockdown rules.

He said that many people in the citResidents playing cricket inside the containment zones of Old City, violating the lockdown rulesy were moving around without any specific purpose and some were even misusing the special passes issued to them. The DGP said some were under the impression that the vehicles which have been seized would be released after the lockdown. It is not so. Cases have been filed against them and the vehicles will be released only after the court directions. The police will now issue emergency passes with colour code, route they have to follow and timings.

This will help the employees to attend duties without any hassles. He also said that it will now be mandatory for shops to ensure that social distancing was maintained by making necessary markings or else the shops too would be seized.

But the question is can the police succeed in implementing the lockdown rules strictly in containment zones of the Old City? People were seen playing cricket inside the containment zones in the Old City violating the lockdown rules. This was the scene at Talabkatta and Bhavani Nagar containment zones on Monday. At some places, taking advantage of improper barricading, people were moving out of the containment zones.

People were seen coming out on their vehicles at Fateh Shah Nagar. At some entry points, wooden barricades were found broken. No policeman was seen at these entry points. Lack of vigil could pose serious threat and rapid spread of the virus, say law-abiding locals.

There is a lane about 200 meters opposite the Bhavani Nagar police station and people were seen coming out from the barricades and there was no one to warn them. Part of Talabkatta area under Chandrayangutta constituency was made containment zone after 34 members of a family were tested positive for coronavirus.

Similar is the situation at the containment area near Mallepally in the Nampally constituency. The authorities have barricaded one side and kept open the small lanes and as a result of this people were seen coming out. The stock reply they give when asked is that they were going to medical shop to hoodwink the police. This free movement can pose serious threat, the locals say.