Srinagar: Lockdown continued in Kashmir on Saturday to prevent further spread of Covid with as many as 137 people arrested and 874 fined for violating Covid guidelines and SoPs.
At many places in Srinagar, police and CRPF soldiers were deployed alongside barricades and razor wires to restrict movement of the public. They were stopping vehicles on roads and checking the purpose of coming on roads. Only essential services including doctors, healthcare workers, journalists are allowed during the lockdown.
Shops were closed and only business establishments including pharmacies were open. Public transport was off the roads.
Police said they arrested 137 persons, filed 70 FIRs and realized a fine of ?128,480 from 874 people for violating the guidelines/rules across Kashmir. Besides, six vehicles were also seized in Bandipora for violating guidelines/restrictions, said a police spokesperson in a handout.
In Ganderbal, a police party led by SHO Police Station Safapora along with Executive Magistrate Lar sealed 12 shops for violating the Covid guidelines. “The special drive against the violators of Covid-19 guidelines/rules continued throughout all the districts of Kashmir to ensure that people adhere to SOPs/ guidelines envisaged by the government to curb COVID-19 pandemic,” police said.

Reader correspondent