Tiruchi
Amidst spike in COVID-19 cases law enforcers have been cracking the whip against those found not wearing masks while venturing out.
Special drives were being carried out every day in the nine districts falling under the central zone against those not adhering to the government’s repeated calls urging the people to wear masks in public places in the wake of the sudden spurt in viral infection.
In addition to booking cases the police were collecting fine from the violators. The drives which commenced a few days ago simultaneously in all the nine districts has resulted in booking of over 22,500 cases against those found not wearing masks. Fine amount collected from the violators has exceeded ₹44 lakh so far.
Thanjavur district tops in respect of the number of cases booked and in collection of fines. Over 5,600 cases had been booked from April 8 to 11 with the fine amount collected being more than ₹11.39 lakh. Pudukottai district ranked second in the zone with the cases booked till Sunday being 3,488 and fine amount collected being ₹6.97 lakhs. The number of cases booked in Nagapattinam district was a little over 3,140 with fine amount collected being ₹5.34 lakh.
Cases booked in Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur districts were 2,966 and 1,718 respectively. In Tiruchi Rural police limits, the cases booked were more than 1,500 with fine amounts collected exceeding ₹3 lakh. Cases have also been registered in Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur districts and fine amount collected . Police sources say the special drives were being conducted by teams of police personnel attached to the law and order and traffic wings by taking positions at vantage spots daily in each police station limits. The central zone accounts for a total number of 212 police stations.
In addition to this, cases were also being booked for violation of personal distancing. Fines were also being collected from traders who do not ensure personal distancing at their respective establishments, say the sources. As many as 1,571 cases were booked for violation of personal distancing from April 8 to 11 with the total fine amount collected being ₹7.36 lakh.
