Will talk to authorities on police ‘excess’ during lockdown: A-G

HC was hearing PIL petitions related to COVID-19

May 12, 2021 08:26 am | Updated 08:26 am IST

The State Advocate-General on Tuesday told the High Court of Karnataka that he will immediately discuss with authorities the police “excess” against citizens while enforcing COVID-19 lockdown.

A-G Prabhuling K. Navadgi gave this assurance to a special division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar during the hearing of PIL petitions related to COVID-19.

During the hearing, several advocates representing the petitioners pointed out instances of police “excess” reported from various parts of Karnataka on May 10, the first day of 15-day State-wide lockdown to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

The advocates also brought up a direction issued to the Director-General and Inspector General of Police by the court on March 30, 2020 when police had resorted to similar types of actions against citizens during last year’s nationwide lockdown.

The High Court had on March 30, 2020 directed the DG&IGP to instruct all personnel across Karnataka to restrain from using lathis to enforce the lockdown, and behave with courtesy and patience with citizens while emphasising that citizens must adhere to all conditions of the lockdown and cooperate with the police.

The direction was issued after Mr. Navadgi had pointed out to the court that the city police Commissioner had asked civil police to leave their lathis in police stations and asked reserve police to use lathis only if necessary for bandobast.

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