Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 10: The city police is cracking down on unauthorised movement of vehicles during the lockdown hours amidst surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases.

Several vehicles were seized and the commissioner of police N Shashi Kumar himself was on the roads near Clock Tower on Monday May 10. The seized vehicles are parked at Nehru Maidan.

It may be recalled, as many as 233 vehicles were seized on Sunday May 9.

Speaking to the media, the police commissioner said, “The state government has imposed strict guidelines from May 10 to 25. Since morning, our department personnel are enforcing the guidelines. Due to the weekend curfew in the last two days, the crowd has increased today during the relaxation. Probably, the crowd will reduce from tomorrow. So far under Mangaluru city police commissionerate limits, 180 vehicles have been seized. We will continue to take action and will submit it to the court. I urge people not to come out of their houses unnecessarily. "

Police have tightened vehicle checks at various points in the city to curb the movement of people during the lockdown, from last week after the state government imposed lockdown. The government’s and district administration instructions to tighten the rules come after the state including Dakshina Kannada district recorded a high number of Covid-19 cases in the last few days.

Several vehicles are being seized, cases under NDMA and Epidemic Act are being lodged and fines are levied for not wearing masks. The police have confiscated 127 two-wheelers, 2 three-wheelers, 39 four-wheelers, a total of 178 vehicles. Further, seven NDMA cases, 15 cases under Epidemic Act, and 325 cases for mask violation were registered.

The district administration has issued new lockdown guidelines starting from May 10 morning where shops can be open only from 6 am to 9 am to buy essentials.