COVID-19: Telangana announces imposition of night curfew

Telangana government led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced night curfew amidst rising COVID-19 infections in the state. The announcement came hours after PM Modi gave a clarion call for a complete lockdown in the country for the next three weeks.

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday announced imposition of curfew in the state from seven PM to six AM the next morning as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"Evening 7'o clock to morning 6'o clock, throughout the state, night curfew is being imposed from today. It was not there till yesterday. Now, curfew is imposed,"Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao told a press conference.

"No one should come on to roads at any cost. Anybody having any trouble, dial 100. Vehicle will come to your house and they will help," he said.

Rao on March 22 announced lockdown across the state till March 31 to prevent the spread of the disease. He asked all public representatives from village
Sarpanch to MLAs -- to assist the administration in implementation of lockdown.

Rao, requesting public support, advised them not to let the situation slip into imposition of drastic measures like promulgation of total curfew, issuing shoot at sight
orders or calling in the Army to keep the situation under control.

In the wake of some foreign returnees jumping home quarantine, the Chief Minister said officials have been asked to seize passports of those who are supposed to be in home quarantine.

Read:India to go under complete lockdown to fight COVID-19

He also warned that passports of the violators would be recommended for cancellation. Citing an instance, he said a person at Nirmal town in the state was found violating home quarantine thrice.

According to him, 19,313 people are under surveillance on COVID-19 and that 114 are suspected cases. On reports of escalation in prices of essential commodities like vegetables, Rao warned that Preventive Detention (PD) Act would be slapped against those who sell essential goods at inflated prices.

He also said licences of such traders would be cancelled.

Rao also said the total number of positive cases in the state stood at 36 as on Tuesday, including the first person, who has been discharged after recovery.

The condition of all the patients who are undergoing treatment is stable and nobody is serious, he added.

Rao said the government would allow those vehicles stranded at inter-state borders following announcement of lockdown on March 22 to proceed for their onward journey. They are exempted from paying toll fee so that traffic at toll gates is eased. (PTI)