Caning, sit-ups used to enforce lockdown
Authorities try to keep crowds at home
As day two of India’s 21-day lockdown comes to a close, local police are pulling out all the stops to drive home the importance of staying home and social distancing.
Videos of officers forcing people to do squats, situps, pushups and, in some situations, violently caning those who flout the restrictions have been circulating on social media this week, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a threeweek ban on going outside in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19.
One tweet showed a video of a policeman hitting someone with a stick who was out during the lockdown, and came with the advice that people should stay at home.
Despite the ban, hundreds of people flocked to the markets in major Indian cities — Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai — and were seen lining up close to each other or huddling in crowds to inspect fruits and vegetables.
People have also continued to socialize in public spaces and share rides in cars and motorcycles, despite officials warnings to practice social distancing. Consequently, police in some states have drawn chalk circles on pavements, each two metres apart, and ordering people to stand in them when waiting in lines. In one video, an official made a man draw a line of circles with chalk.
The different tactics employed by authorities have drawn both praise and criticism from the public. Many have praised the police for devising creative ways of punishing those who continue to go out. However, others have condemned them for using “brutality” against residents, calling their actions “a clear violation of human rights.”
The execution of the ban, which was announced on Tuesday, has raised questions as to how those in living in slums and other lower-income areas will provide for themselves and their families during the lockdown. Social media users have also said it’s unfair for the police to violently punish people leaving their homes to stock up for the lockdown.
The nationwide ban, an attempt to halt the community spread of COVID-19, is scheduled to run till March 30.
Only essential services such as water, electricity, health services, fire services, groceries and municipal services are allowed to operate. All shops, commercial establishments, factories, workshops, offices, markets and places of worship will remain closed and interstate buses and metros will be suspended.
Currently, India has reported 718 confirmed cases and 14 deaths from the virus. However, medical officials fear the level of poverty, cramped living conditions and the exhausted healthcare system could cause a rampant spread of the virus.