Keep tabs on borders, Odisha cops told
BHUBANESWAR: The state police headquarters on Thursday asked cops in the districts to intensify the inspection of vehicles along the interstate borders. The frisking of vehicles has come under the scanner after a 66-year-old man, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus on April 13, entered Odisha from West Bengal in a TATA Magic with 17 others on March 28. The man belonged to Jajpur district.
According to the health department, the vehicle carrying the 18 persons entered Odisha via Balasore that shares its border with West Bengal. The Jajpur native, along with the 17 others from different parts of Odisha, travelled from Babughat in Kolkata in the TATA Magic and reached Sathipur in Jajpur district on the night of March 28.
He then travelled from Sathipur to Ganeshpur in a fish transport vehicle and walked from Ganeshpur to Jajpur town on March 29. The man remained in home quarantine at Sana Trilochanpur in Jajpur Sadar from March 29 to April 13. As part of surveillance, his sample was collected on April 13 and he tested positive the same day.
“We were shocked to know as to how the small vehicle carrying 18 persons, including the Jajpur native, passed the interstate Balasore-West Bengal border, sealed by the police. We have asked the police in the districts to conduct proper checking of vehicles in all interstate border points,” a senior police officer said.
Fourteen of the state’s 30 districts share their borders with Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
On Thursday, DGP Abhay held a video-conference (VC) with range inspector generals, deputy inspector generals and superintendents of police and asked them to properly check lockdown passes issued to non-transport vehicles as well as to check the transport goods vehicles that do not require any pass.
In the VC, the DGP asked SPs to ensure the smooth execution of some services, including agriculture activities, limited industrial activity, courier and e-commerce services from April 20. Abhay directed the SPs to ensure that people do not step out without wearing masks; document good practices of the police during the lockdown period; expeditiously investigate and prosecute lockdown-related cases registered against violators. The DGP also reviewed the status of the registration of domestic violence cases following a recent directive by chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Sources said at least 20 domestic violence cases were registered in the state in the last two days.
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