In order to tighten the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, the Police department has started using drones besides installing CCTV cameras at Malavalli in Mandya district.
Malavalli is considered as the hotspot for novel coronavirus in Mandya district with 11 persons testing positive for COVID-19. Of them, some are attendees of Markaz prayers held at Nizamuddin masjid in New Delhi during the Tablighi Jamaat conference in March. The rest are the contacts of New Delhi returnees.
As many as 491 persons, primary and secondary contacts of these COVID-19 patients, are under quarantine in Malavalli town. Most of them are residents of Idgah Mohalla, Muslim Block and Kote Kalamma Beedhi. Movements of people in all the three areas have been strictly regulated. Nevertheless, people are continuing to flout the lockdown restrictions.
The Police department has installed closed circuit television cameras at 15 places in Malavalli. The police personnel are also using drones to keep an eye on those flouting the restrictions.
According to the police officials, the department has already seized a good number of vehicles in the town and sent back people who were wandering/riding on roads without any major work, with the help of CCTV cameras and drones.
The district has recorded 12 COVID-19 positive cases so far. While 11 are from Malavalli, another patient is from Swarnasandra of Mandya town. He is a microbiologist with the Nanjangud pharmaceutical company in Mysuru.