Covid-19 in Kolkata: Night violations, repeat offenders worry cops – Times of India

Kolkata News
KOLKATA: The increasing trend of repeat offenders being prosecuted for violating the 9pm-5am curbs is becoming a concern for police. The numbers in the past week are probably an indication of the problem. On Sunday, the police prosecuted 1,733 violators in a two-hour drive between 9pm and 11pm. On Saturday, the numbers had hit a record 1,745 — the highest night prosecutions since the pandemic hit last year. On Friday, there were 1,073 prosecutions.
The weekend prosecution — 4,551 — is also one of the highest in the past two months since easing of restrictions. In fact, for the entire week, the city police consistently prosecuted over a thousand people. The only exception was Thursday night when pouring rain forced cops to call off the checks. Even then, 285 motorists were found violating the norms. Even the local police ended up prosecuting over 2,500 others for violating night curbs.

Cops say what was worrying was that the violations were not restricted to commercial and popular eating joints of the city alone, like Park Street or Park Circus. Instead, most repeat offenders were covering longer distances, and even guards situated on the periphery, like Ultadanga, and in added areas like Garia and Tiljala — 102 cases in all — witnessed a high number of cases.

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Violations of Covid protocols need to be dealt with sternly. Violators are not putting only themselves at risk; they are exposing the entire community to greater danger.

On Sunday, yet again, it was the south, southeast and east guards which witnessed the maximum violations. Between them, they cover the majority of south Kolkata between Park Street and Ballygunge-Gariahat. As many as 325 motorists were prosecuted in this zone. Even Ultadanga traffic guard became a major contributor to prosecutions by recording 112 cases.
Senior officers at Lalbazar and OCs at traffic guards said repeat offenders are not aware of the difference between normal traffic prosecutions and penal prosecutions because these prosecutions are being done during naka checks. Police prosecutions under penal sections are forwarded to courts. Only the court can dismiss the charges. Till then, pending penal cases reflect against an individual.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/night-violations-repeat-offenders-worry-cops/articleshow/84986135.cms