Bengaluru cops seize over 2,000 vehicles for flouting lockdown orders

This comes a day after Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa extended the lockdown in the state till June 7

A day after Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa extended the lockdown till June 7, the Bengaluru City police on Saturday began cracking down on people venturing out unnecessarily and violating Covid rules.

In less than half a day, police seized 2,039 vehicles (till 5 pm) and registered 20 FIRs and 94 Non-Cognizable Rreports (NCR) against those violating rules and booked them under the National Disaster Management Act (NDMA). In fact, 22 motorists were arrested in various parts of the city. In all, 35 cases were registered under the NDMA and Karnataka Epidemic Diseases acts.

Among the NCRs, some will be converted to NDMA after enquiry, a senior police officer said.

With the chief minister backing the police force, City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant led the crackdown from the front and checked vehicles at a few places. Pant directed officers to detain those who had no emergency service or work and seize their vehicles.

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Pant told reporters: “We will check every vehicle throughout the lockdown period. Clear instructions have been given to officers to take legal action against such motorists and book cases against them. No one venturing out after 10 am will be spared.”

All sorts of excuses, explanations

In some areas, motorists got into heated arguments with officers. A motorist, who was stopped by the police near the CBI office, got into argument with Pant and other officers, claiming he had come out to withdraw money from the ATM.

When the police were about to seize his vehicle, he tried to get away by claiming to know the Chief Minister personally and warned the police against taking any action. However, the police politely briefed him about his violations and arrested him after seizing his vehicle.

Elsewhere, the police stopped a man driving a high-end car in Sadashivanagar. On checking his documents, they found a mismatch in the registration number in the RC book and on the vehicle. On questioning, the motorist said he omitted a zero because of numerology. They seized his vehicle as he had come out without a valid reason.

Prohibitory orders till June 7

Police Commissioner Kamal Pant extended prohibitory orders across the city till 6 am on July 7. Except emergency services, all other activities are prohibited, according to the government lockdown order. Shops selling essentials, including provisions and groceries, can stay open only till 10 am. Gathering of more than four persons is also prohibited.