Telangana Police told to enforce lockdown more strictly

Hyderabad, May (IANS) Telangana's Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy on Wednesday directed police officials to enforce the state-wide lockdown more strictly.

His direction came a day after the state government decided to extend the lockdown till May 30.

The police chief held a videoconference with zonal Inspectors General of Police, Deputy Inspectors General of police, Police commissioners and Superintendents of Police on enforcement of the lockdown.

Additional DGP, Law and Order, Jitender and IG, Intelligence, Prabhakar Rao also participated.

The DGP told the officials that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is holding a daily review of lockdown enforcement in every district.

He said the current lockdown should be implemented strictly so that it need not have to be extended beyond May 30.

He noted that though lockdown relaxation is from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., people are coming out to buy essentials only after 8 a.m. and this is leading to crowding in markets and at shops. He called for creating awareness among people to buy the essentials and attend other works from 6 a.m.

The state police chief also noted that streets are looking crowded after 10 a.m. He wanted the Police commissioners, SPs, DCPs, DSPs and ACP level officials to be in the field from 9.45 a.m. to monitor the situation.

He said since overcrowding in fish and vegetable markets could lead to Covid spread, the police officials should take steps to decentralise the markets in coordination with officials from marketing, municipal administration and other concerned departments.

The DGP told the officials that if vehicles which have no permission are seen on roads after 10 a.m., they should be immediately seized. He said the police should not only focus on main roads but should also strictly enforce lockdown in colonies and on interior roads.

Mahender Reddy said at 10 a.m. the patrolling vehicles should move around with sirens blaring to begin lockdown enforcement. He claimed that police were receiving cooperation of general public in lockdown enforcement and that there were no complaints against the police.

Meanwhile, the state government on Wednesday issued an order, permitting petrol bunks to remain open during the lockdown. However, the DGP asked the officials to ensure that only those vehicles exempted from lockdown, ambulances and oxygen carrying vehicles are allowed.