Mumbai police chief reviews implementation of COVID-19 curbs

Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale on Thursday took stock of the implementation of restrictions imposed by the Maharashtra government as part of its 'Break the Chain' COVID-19 action plan.

Nagrale visited Gamdevi, Lokmanya Tilak Marg police stations and other places in the city and interacted with constabulary-level personnel about the prohibitory orders issued under section 144 of the CrPC and other restrictions, an official said.

The commissioner also spoke about the precautionary measures to be taken by the police to curb the spread of coronavirus. Talking to reporters later, Nagrale urged people to help the police and the administration by not stepping out of their houses, except in case of essential and emergency work.


"Police are deployed to implement the prohibitory orders, but we are not using any force on people," he said, adding that if any person is found outside without a valid reason, then the police personnel are giving him a warning and sending him back home.

"I have instructed the police personnel to help the people in need and if they are out on the streets for food, medicine," he said.

Several police personnel in Mumbai have also lost their lives due to COVID-19 while implementing the prohibitory orders for the safety of common people so far, he said.

"Till now, at least 101 police personnel in Mumbai, including some officers, died in the fight against COVID-19 and 8,085 others contracted the infection since the outbreak of the pandemic," he said. So far, only 515 police personnel are currently undergoing treatment, he said.