COVID-19: Police fire in the air to control angry mobs in Assam

GUWAHATI: Police had to fire in the air to control a mob that got into confrontation with police after police stopped crowd from swelling in a vegetable market place in Assam’s Bongaigaon on Saturday. Already state has registered 126 cases and arresting 241 persons.
This is second such attack on police after a group of mob attacked policemen in Dhubri on Friday.

A senior police officer, who does not want to be named, told ET, “Large number of people crowded market place, when police stopped them. They resorted to stone pelting. Later police had to fire in the air to disperse the crowd. A policeman was injured.”

Assam's Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) GP Singh tweeted, “ As on March 28 upto 1200 hrs total number of incidents 110, number of cases registered 241, vehicles detained 391(338 two wheeler and 53 four wheeler), fine realised Rs 199,000.”

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said it is unfortunate that policemen are targeted.

Sonowal visited Golaghat district to take stock of preparedness of the health department to deal with coronavirus outbreak in the district.

Chief Minister in the meeting directed the district administration to carry out extensive awareness drive among people on COVID-19 and also on the importance of lockdown declared by the Prime Minister in the country.

He asked the district administration to ensure availability of essential commodities among the people and to keep close watch on the market so that hoarding of essential commodities could not take place leading to escalation of prices.

Chief Minister Sonowal also informed that the Chief Secretary has already been directed to regularly monitor the availability of essential commodities in the districts so that there could be no scarcity of such materials.

He said that the state government makes its outmost efforts to provide all needful services to the people at this hour of crisis. He however expressed strong displeasure on various incidences of police attack by common people, who were working day and night in greater public interest.

He said that at this crucial hour people must cooperate with police and the government would not tolerate any such attack on the police.

Later the Chief Minister also visited Diphu Medical College and Hospital (old block) and inspected the isolation ward and ICU facilities.

The daily meeting of State Level Task Force to review the status and action for management of COVID-19 was held under the chairmanship of Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna.

After discussing all the important issues regarding present situation the Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metropolitan District has arranged selling of vegetables at 66 points of Guwahati city by Mobile vans. Chief Secretary directed to continue the process and increase the area of coverage, if needed.

The Chief Secretary directed the Deputy Commissioners of the State to issue gratuitous relief materials for 7 days to the daily wage earners like rickshaw pullers, labourers etc. living/stranded in the urban areas as per the norms of Assam Relief Manuals.The Chief Secretary directed that the production units of Bread, biscuits, packaged water, rice mill, chirra mill, flour mills will continue production with minimum staff maintaining social distance.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma along with Chief of Coronavirus Task Force, P. Sampath Kumar and other officials visited Tura to review the preparedness in Garo Hills in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chief Minister informed that 300 beds are being prepared for dealing with a possible outbreak of coronavirus in Tura. The Guest House of MBoSE, SMELC and Isolation Ward of Tura Civil Hospital has been converted to deal with coronavirus related cases.

He also informed that the Government is working to have a full-fledged testing center at Tura Civil Hospital, which would take a few more days.

The Chief Minister held review meetings with staff of Tura Civil Hospital, inspected the isolation care centre at Civil Hospital. He also held a review meeting with officials of the district administration at Circuit House, Tura.

He has given direction to the administration to ensure that essential commodities are made available to the public.

“People should not panic and maintain social distancing. The Government is making efforts to put in place all logistics and supply of essential commodities,” the Chief Minister added.