Quarantine curfew & arrests over fake news
The areas currently under a ‘quarantine curfew’ are Divulapitiya, Minuwangoda, Veyangoda, Gampaha, Kirindiwela, Dompe, Pugoda, Ganemulla, Weeragula, Weliweriya, Malwathugiripitiya, Nittambuwa, Mirigama, Pallewala, Yakkala, Ja-Ela, Seeduwa and Kandana. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajith Rohana explained the three types of curfews that can be clamped in the country:
A ‘quarantine’ curfew can be imposed under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance. The DirectorGeneral of Health Services has the authority to entrust the Inspector General of Police to implement the quarantine curfew, to stop the spread of disease. A ‘police’ curfew can be imposed under the Police Ordinance and the Criminal Procedure Code to ease tension in an area. Police can restrict the movement of the public in that particular area. The President can impose a curfew under the Public Security Ordinance if there is a tense situation in the country, to ensure the safety of the people. DIG Rohana said that while under a police curfew and curfew imposed by the President neighbours can visit each other, under the quarantine curfew people cannot mingle at all. If a person violates the quarantine curfew, the police can arrest and charge that person. The penalty is a fine of Rs. 10,000 and up to three months rigorous imprisonment. If an infected person’s property is deemed unsafe, the police can seize and destroy that property.
As of Friday afternoon, 92 people have been arrested for violating the quarantine curfew and two for allegedly spreading fake news, it is learnt.
A 60-year-old man has been remanded till October 15 for setting a rumour afloat that a COVID-19 patient had escaped from the Colombo South (Kalubowila) Teaching Hospital and an 18-year-old has been remanded till October 22 for spreading talk that an island-wide quarantine curfew would be clamped this week, said DIG Rohana.
Meanwhile, the deadline for the employees of Brandix Apparels in Minuwangoda in the Gampaha district to report to the allocated places was Thursday and DIG Rohana said that as far as he knew everyone had done so.
A COVID-19 Operations Centre and Control Room have been set up at Police Headquarters to disseminate police instructions to all police divisions and inform the public on COVID-19 related matters.
The Control Room hotline is: 1933 and E-mail: igp.cr@police.lk