Maharashtra COVID-19 curfew: 2 lakh police personnel on streets to enforce restrictions

As the Maharashtra government imposed strict restrictions across the state due to an uncontrolled surge in the COVID-19 caseload, the state Police Chief on Wednesday said that shops selling essential items and public transport system will not be affected.

"There is no provision of movement passes this time. Shops selling essential items and public transport will remain operational. We have given instruction to all our units that if anyone has an emergency they should be allowed movement," Sanjay Pandey, Maharashtra DGP, said.

Pandey informed that a total of 2 lakh police personnel will be on the streets to enforce the restrictions. Additionally, a force of 13,200 home guards and 22 companies of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), will also be deployed as per requirement.

He also informed that 3,160 personnel of Maharashtra police are infected by COVID-19.

"Till now, the total number of COVID-19 infected police personnel is 36,728. This includes 3,160 active cases," he added.

"Action will be taken against the people who break the restriction guidelines, " he added.

Mumbai police has issued fresh prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC, banning the assembly of five or more people at one place in the city.

"We need help from the people and so I request all the people of the state to follow these guidelines, he asserted.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday announced a series of strict restrictions in the state till May 1 including the imposition of Section 144 from Wednesday in view of rising COVID-19 cases and but said he will not term the new restrictions as "lockdown".

Under the new guidelines, all establishments, public places, activities will remain closed in the state. Only essential services will be exempted, and their operations to be unrestricted.

The guidelines said that cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes will remain closed till Section 144 is imposed in the state.
According to Union Health Ministry, Maharashtra had reported 28,307 new COVID-19 cases 31624 discharges, and 281 deaths on Wednesday. With this, the number of recoveries reached 28,66,097 in the state. Currently, there are 5,94,585 active cases in the state.