Residents of Vellore resort to ploys to evade police checks during lockdown

Residents of Vellore town and surrounding areas have resorted to various methods to avoid police checking during the full lockdown that is in force now.

In one case, the police became suspicious when a man who arrived at the Mango mandi on Old Bengaluru Road at 5 am was wearing the ID card of a prominent city hospital. When the officials demanded to know why he was wearing the ID card when hid duty started only at 8 am, he said it was because he knew that the police would not check the staff of that hospital. Sources revealed that the man was warned and let off, and the hospital administration was informed about the incident.

In another case, police on patrol against illicit arrack distillation in the foothills on the outskirts of Vellore town found a youth wearing a prominent food delivery company’s t-shirt waiting with a delivery bag and a two-wheeler near a building. The police became suspicious as deliveries start only after 6 am when eateries open. On questioning, they found that the boy was waiting for supply of arrack for local delivery. “A case was registered against him,” Vellore ASP Albert John told DT Next.

“Similarly, police also found a sudden spurt in the number of people roaming on city roads during the lockdown. Earlier, the police refrained from checking cyclists, as most would lack documents. But when the number of cyclists increased, we started checking them too and found that they resorted to this method thinking that police would only check two and four-wheelers,” he added.

Meanwhile, the district health officials said that the Vellore Government Medical College Hospital, Vellore Pentland taluk hospital and the Gudiyattam government hospital have been provided with private security staff to prevent hospitals becoming virus spreaders.

“The move was subsequent to reports of COVID patients from Pentland hospital walking out to get tea and snacks from nearby shops resulting in increased public complaints. As shops are closed now, we will get results only after the lockdown is lifted,” said DD (Health) Dr Manivannan.