COVID-19 crisis: Pune Police resort to novel punishment methods for lockdown violators

Amid the nationwide lockdown which has been extended till May 3, the police across the country have come up with novel techniques to penalise people who flout the lockdown protocol which has to be strictly adhered to in the battle against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. In an interesting incident in Pune, as people were seen hitting the roads amid the lockdown, the Pune Police at Swargate area made the violators sit on the road for over four hours while maintaining the social distancing norm. Around 200 people were punished in such a manner for defying the lockdown.

Innovative measures to discipline lockdown violators

In another incident, citizens of Pune were seen flouting the lockdown and hit the streets for morning walks. Since the people were so keen on following their healthy habit of morning walks despite the nationwide lockdown in place, the Pune Police reprimanded the morning walkers and made them perform Yoga and exercises on the road while maintaining the social distancing norm.

In another video, Kondhwa police made about 100 people, who were found violating the lockdown orders, do sit-ups and exercises. This is not the only time the police were seen experimenting with innovative initiatives in order to send the message of staying indoors to the public. 

On Thursday, the Amritsar police made the defaulters flouting restrictions stand with their hands up in the air on the roadside. They were also asked to shout that they will not step outdoors again. The Srikalahasti police in Andhra Pradesh, through a series of drawings on roads in front of the temple, urged people to stay home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The drawings depict a house and a lock with a message that read: "Stay Home — Stay Safe. Let us break and beat Coronavirus."