FIRs against COVID violators in K'taka; dire consequences for ditching face mask [details]

Karnataka is among the worst-hit states in India by the second wave of COVID-19. In a shocking report, new COVID cases in Karnataka crossed the 11,000-mark in a day, with Bengaluru accounting for 8,155. Amidst such a spike, the Karnataka High Court directed Director-General and Inspector General of Police, Praveen Sood, IPS, to take strict action against violators of COVID norms.

Karnataka HC observed that violations of COVID norms, such as ditching face masks, neglecting social distancing and congregating in large numbers, are cognisable and non-bailable in nature as per the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases (KED) Act, 2020. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed Sood, IPS, to set up a team, which would include senior police officers, to educate police officials on effective enforcement of laws to prevent spread of COVID.

HC takes firm stand

By directing the police to file FIRs in case of COVID violations, the HC is drawing a line on what needs to be done. The Bench had noted that the police were hesitant in registering FIRs for such violations, which indicated the law was imposed lightly by the means of collecting fines. But by directing police officers to register FIRs, the COVID violations aren't to be taken lightly.

The special police teams as directed by the Bench must monitor the registration of FIRs and investigation in cases of violations. The HC also urged high-profile citizens such as prominent celebrities, political and religious leaders to lead by example and any violations by them be handled strictly.

Coronavirus in Karnataka

As epicentre of the pandemic in the southern state, Bengaluru reported 8,155 fresh cases on Tuesday, taking the city's Covid tally to 5,02,024, with 63,167 active cases, while recoveries rose to 4,33,923, with 2,540 patients discharged during the day.

With 38 patients, including 23 in Bengaluru succumbing to the virus, the state's death toll rose to 13,046 and the city's toll to 4,933 since the pandemic broke out in mid-March a year ago.

Of the 506 patients in the intensive care units (ICUs), 184 are in Bengaluru hospitals, 44 in Kalaburagi, 41 in Kolar, 31 in Mysuru, 22 in Dharwad and 21 in Bidar and Tumakuru, with the rest spread in the remaining 24 districts across the state.

Out of 1,13,242 tests conducted in the state during the day, 7,612 were through rapid antigen detection and 1,05,630 through RT-PCR method.