Shutdown: Police team attacked in Kesarpur area of Cuttack

Bhubaneswar, Apr 5 () A group of persons allegedlypelted stones at a police team and attacked them with sticksin Cuttack city of Odisha on Sunday when they were asked to goback to their houses during a complete shutdown imposed aspart of measures to prevent spread of COVID-19, a policeofficer said.

At least 25 people were arrested in Cuttack cityafter analysing the visuals of the incident that the policehad, the officer said.

The incident took place in Kesarpur area of the city,where a 48-hour shutdown is in force since 8 pm on Friday,Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Cuttack, Akhileswar Singhsaid.

The persons, who were spotted roaming near a mosque inviolation of the shutdown orders and asked to go back to theirhouses, attacked the police personnel, causing injuries tosome of them, he said.

The miscreants were then dispersed and some of themwere detained, he said.

Later a search operation was launched to nab someothers, he said.

About six people were also taken into custody indifferent parts of Cuttack for flouting the shutdown orders,police said.

Apart from Cuttack, a 48-hour shutdown is also inforce in state capital Bhubaneswar and Bhadrak town sinceFriday night in order to undertake aggressive containment andsurveillance as part of measures to prevent the spread ofCOVID-19 in the state.

The state government decided to impose the shutdownfollowing a sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases in state.

The number of coronavirus affected persons has gone upto 23 as per latest reports Three of those who tested positivefor coronavirus had visited the Tablighi Jamaat congregationat Nizamuddin in Delhi last month.

Meanwhile, the district administrations of Jajpur andPuri have imposed shutdown in certain places since Saturdaywhile a partial shutdown came into force in Ganjam districtfor an indefinite period from Sunday noon.

The district administration of Jajpur imposed samerestrictions in Jajpur and Vyasnagar municipality areas andalso in all block headquarters from 8 pm of Saturday to 8 pmof April 6 after a COVID-19 positive case was reported inBrahmabarada area.

Following another COVID-19 positive case at Danagahirvillage under Pipili block of Puri district, theadministration declared the area as containment zone.

The entire area covering Danagahir Chhak, JayapuraChhak and Jayapura Sasan Chhak has been sealed as aprecautionary measure to contain the spread, said a seniorofficial.

Puri Sub-Collector B T Sahu said the area will remainunder shutdown till midnight of April 14 and all publicmovement has been banned with all entry and exit pointssealed.

After a Baharain returnee was found to be a confirmedCOVID-19 case in Kalahandi district on Saturday night, thedistrict administration imposed restrictions in several areasof the district and launched a contact tracing operation.

Meanwhile, a total of 203 of cases have beenregistered by the police in the state for violations ofdifferent regulations and guidelines related to COVID-19 sinceSaturday, an official said.

Of them, 185 are for violation of lockdown, 3 forviolation of 'home quarantine' and 15 for other issues.

Altogether 250 persons have been arrested fordifferent violations, he said.

Up to 12 noon on Sunday, 1,699 samples have beentested and number of positive COVID-19 cases have reached 23.

Two persons have already been cured and dischargedfrom hospital while active cases stand at 19, he said.

Among the 23 positive cases, 16 are from Bhubaneswar,one each from Puri, Cuttack, Kalahandi and Jajpur and 3 fromBhadrak, while 75 persons are under hospital isolation. SKNMM MM