In Kerala, which is under lockdown following a spike of 28 confirmed cases of coronavirus on Monday, section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been imposed in Malappuram and Ernakulam by the district collectors. This prohibits the gathering of four or more people in an area.
A little later the Idukki district magistrate declared that section 144 is being imposed in four villages of the district -- KDH, Munnar, Pallivasal, Kunjithanny. Prohibitory orders under section 144 have already been imposed in Kasargod two days earlier and in Kozhikode on Monday dawn.
Malappuram Collector Jafar Malik wrote on Facebook that 144 was not imposed to bring difficulties to the people, but for everyone's safety.
"Those who are advised to be in home quarantine must follow it. Volunteers at regional level will ensure that this is done. Those who breach the quarantine and step out shall be arrested," the Collector wrote.
He also ensured that essential commodities would be there in the district. Those who are in home quarantine and cannot get out will be delivered food at home, he said.
"I request that other than for urgent matters, no one should step out of their home. Please cooperate with the people who are working hard to prevent the virus spread by ensuring a lockdown," Jafar Malik wrote.
He also asked people to not pile up essential commodities since it would affect the distribution to others.
Ernakulam Collector Suhas S also made a similar post asking people to please cooperate with the authorities.
So far, 16 people in Ernakulam and four people in Malappuram have tested positive for coronavirus. As of Monday evening, 9,294 people in Malappuram and 4,230 people in Ernakulam are in quarantine. Fifteen people in Malappuram are in isolation wards of hospitals while the rest of the people are in home quarantine. What’s alarming is that 11 of the 15 people in hospitals were admitted on a single day – March 23. In Ernakulam, 4,201 people are in home quarantine while the others are admitted in hospital isolation wards. Eight people were newly hospitalised on Monday.
Before Monday, the state had been on a partial lockdown mode, with strict regulations imposed in Kasaragod, where the most number of confirmed cases have been found in recent days. The Chief Minister’s Office had denied a lockdown earlier on Monday, when reports of a Centre-advised lockdown in seven districts of the state had emerged. However, at a press conference in the evening, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that 28 new cases had sprung on a single day taking the total number of cases including those who recovered to 95. This has forced the state to adopt a lockdown with people advised minimal venturing out of their homes, among other restrictions in place.