Karnataka home minister says don\'t compel police to use force to implement lockdown

Bengaluru: With the state capital along with a few districts under lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the measure was important to break the chain and people seem to have understood its importance.

Appealing for cooperation from the people, he asked them not to make it inevitable for police to use force in implementing the lockdown.

"Traffic movement is less, there is a lockdown atmosphere everywhere, I feel that people have understood the importance... cooperation is required. I appeal to the people, if this lockdown has to be effective it has to be voluntary, only then we can control the rapid spread of coronavirus," Bommai said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said this lockdown is important, last time the infection was not upto this level.

"This time areas that have high number of infections- about five districts and Bengaluru city are going for lockdown.

People have understood that this lockdown is to break the chain," he said

"Please don't make it inevitable for police to use force," he added.

Bengaluru urban and rural areas are under "complete lockdown" since last night 8 pm and it will be effective till 5 am on July 22.

Following Bengaluru urban and rural, administrations in several districts like Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi (only in Urban areas), Bidar, Raichur (in Raichur city and Sindhanur) and Yadgir too have announced lockdown.

Noting that Police have taken all necessary strict measures to enforce lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural districts by restricting the movement of vehicles and people, Bommai said barricades have been erected at various places and flyovers have been shut.

People have been allowed to purchase vegetables and groceries till 12 noon, he said.

The government has warned of action in case of any violation of the lockdown rules.

As of July 14 evening, cumulatively 44,077 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 842sa deaths and 17,390 discharges.

Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 20,969 infections.