Kolkata man defied lockdown, abused cops when stopped; now creating awareness about COVID-19

A man in Kolkata who flouted lockdown norms and abused police personnel is now creating awareness about COVID-19 for more than stipulated hours ordered by a court as a condition for granting him bail.

Kolkata: A 30-year-old man, who went out defying the lockdown in Kolkata and when stopped allegedly abused some policemen, is now engaging in social service by creating awareness regarding COVID-19 for more hours than stipulated by a court as a condition for granting him bail, an official said on Friday.

The man, a resident of the Karaya area in south Kolkata, had ventured out of his home on a two-wheeler on April 11 and was stopped in the Charu Market area by police,the senior officer said.

He could not give any satisfactory reason for travelling about seven kilometers from home and also allegedly abused the officials on duty at the checkpoint, the police officer said.

The man was also not carrying the vehicle's papers and tried to escape, according to the charges brought against him by the Charu Market police station, he said.

He was arrested under sections 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant) and 353 (use of criminal force on a public servant to deter him from performing duty)of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and produced before a magistrate at the Alipore court here.

The magistrate, while granting bail, directed him to participate in social awareness on COVID-19 for two hours a day for a week.

Realising his folly, the man has been going to a designated police checkpoint in south Kolkata every day at 8 am and is performing his duty till 1 pm, well beyond the court-mandated two hours a day, the officer said.

He is advising those flouting lockdown rules to abide by the government directives in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the police officer said.

(PTI report)