Social distancing went for a toss in Madhya Pradesh’s Banda after a huge crowd gathered to welcome monk Pramansagar and his retinue on May 12.
‘Directions have been given to investigate and take action against the organisers,’ NDTV quoted Praveen Bhuria, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sagar), as saying. He added that social distancing norms and orders banning large gatherings (under Section 144) were violated.
Madhya Pradesh: A crowd gathered to welcome Jain monk Pramansagar in Banda, Sagar district yesterday. Praveen Bhuria, ASP Sagar says, ‘Directions given to investigate & take action against organizers if social distancing norms & section-144 were violated’. pic.twitter.com/eWNgk4qf4o
— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020
So far, the Sagar district has recorded 10 COVID-19 cases and one death.
Several incidents of people violating social distancing norms across the country prompted Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij to call for this to be made a criminal offence. The Home Minister had said that if people continue to violate measures like social distancing and wearing masks amid the COVID-19 crisis, there might as well be a spike in cases, which will, in turn, put pressure on the healthcare system.
In another incident this month, hundreds of people gathered on Tikiapara lane in Kolkata’s Howrah amid the COVID-19 lockdown after the police had called for a peace march. This is the same place where days before this incident, police were attacked by a mob when they had tried to disperse a huge crowd that had assembled on Tikiapara lane. This time, however, the crowd was led by the police themselves on May 3.
