Around 32 states and Union Territories across India are under lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak, as the number of cases in the country crossed 500 on Tuesday. Citizens have been asked to stay indoors and step out only to purchase essential commodities. While the police deployed on the ground have been rounding up those who stepped out of their homes in many cities, videos have emerged of police excesses on citizens and even those of doctors being harassed and asked to go home, an act that has been highly condemned.
A policeman in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur was seen beating a man with a stick in the middle of the road for coming out of his house during the lockdown. The policeman thrashes him multiple times even as he pleads, “sir, please don’t hit me!”
A person/apparently 4 wheeler driver was beaten up by a cop for coming out despite #COVID19 lock down.The visuals suggests it happened in Guntur near bus stand. As of now AP has tested 7 positive cases while 45 results are awaited. @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/mweexOM665
— CharanTeja (@CharanT16) March 24, 2020
In Bengaluru, police have been accused of hitting delivery executives who have been ferrying essential commodities to customers. Police in Bengaluru also beat up residents in several areas, who went out to buy groceries on Tuesday morning. Owners of water supply units told TNM that the police resorted to lathi-charge and shut down the unit near HAL.
A video shows a policeman whacking a man on his arm with a lathi. In another video, a bunch of policemen in Karnataka, dressed in plain clothes, are seen stopping a man on a motorcycle, asking him to go back. Another man is seen approaching on a motorcycle, which is when a policeman runs after him even as the others laugh on.
Oh God!!!! pic.twitter.com/5wpUlTZRfr
— Kumaran P (@kumaranp_Mirror) March 24, 2020
In Punjab, policemen were seen asking people violating curfew orders to squat and also hold up placards that read “I am an enemy of the society. I refused to stay at home.” Other videos show them asking to do sit-ups, and lie down on the road in a line.
Punjab Police making a murga out of violators not staying at home.
— Man Aman Singh Chhina (@manaman_chhina) March 23, 2020
Also make them hold signs which say “Main samaaj da dushman haa. Main ghar vich nahin rahanaga”. pic.twitter.com/qHx4CUHs2f
please #watch this video twice before you violates the #Curfewinpunjab. I don't know about the infection but your interaction with #PunjabPolice would teaches you a yoga asanas on the road. (mind it not on the rocks)#StayAtHomeSaveLives #CoronaStopKaroNa #CoronaUpdatesInIndia pic.twitter.com/mgSnPvdqUc
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) March 23, 2020
In Mumbai, police were seen asking people to perform sit-ups for venturing out of their homes. In Pune, citizens who were not wearing a mask were stopped by the police, asked to remove their t-shirts and then wrap them around their faces.
#CoronavirusLockdown मास्क न लावता पुण्यात विनाकारण रस्त्यावर फिरत होते....पोलिसांनी टी-शर्ट काढून तोंडावर बांधायला लावला! pic.twitter.com/2H1jcSOjaP
— News18Lokmat (@News18lokmat) March 24, 2020
What the law says
Citizens who break curfew can be booked under Section 270 of the Indian Penal Code. Section 270 prescribes punishment for a malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life and a violation can attract imprisonment of upto two years, or fine, or both.