Bengaluru police ready to implement Covid-19 night curfew

Bengaluru city police commissioner Kamal Pant to release guidelines

The Bengaluru City Police (BCP) is ready to implement the night-time curfew from December 24 and will stop anyone commuting without valid reasons like catching a flight, train or bus with prior reservations.

Police will also allow those with medical emergencies to commute after 10 pm if they have credible proof. They vow to take severe action on those roaming without purpose.

City police commissioner Kamal Pant told DH that police will be implementing the curfew guidelines according to the state government’s directions.

“We are already prepared for area domination after December 25 to avoid unnecessary crowd gathering in certain places. We are (now) prepared for the curfew implementation,” Pant said.

He said police will seek public cooperation to implement the government’s decision to avoid the spread of the infection. Police will come up with the guidelines by Thursday evening to be implemented according to the state government, Pant added.

Police have no plans as yet to issue passes for the public to commute during the night, but will ask them to show credible documents.

Additional Commissioner of Police (West) Soumendu Mukherjee said police are on night rounds from 9 pm daily. Pant warned of action if people fail to show necessary proof for the purpose of their commute.

A senior official said they will erect nakabandi (police blockade) across the city and police officers will check if motorists are roaming around unnecessarily. “From Thursday, we’ll start booking people under the NDMA Act,” the official said.