Second time in two days: MHA writes to West Bengal govt for action against lockdown violations
Kolkata/New Delhi/IBNS: For the second time in last two days, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday sent a letter to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal asking them to take steps as the Centre had accessed reports of dilution of prohibitory orders during coronavirus lockdown in some parts of the state, official said.
"It has been reported that there was large assembly of people in establishments dispensing essential commodities and shops dealing with non-essential commodities were open at Siliguri," the letter read.
"Further, lockdown was also violated in some of the mosques in Murshidabad district," the MHA letter read.
Earlier on Friday, violating the social distancing norms, hundreds of people had gathered at a mosque in Murshidabad to offer prayer without covering faces and hands.
Local police later rushed to the scene and vacated the mosque.
The Centre has asked the state government to take necessary actions to prevent the repetition of such incidents in future.
"It is requested to take necessary action in order to ensure strict adherence to lockdown measures, district authorities and filed agencies may accordingly be directed so as to prevent any such recurrence in future," the letter further read.
Earlier on Friday (Apr 10), the MHA had written to West Bengal government for adequate and strict actions after it found a 'gradual dilution' of lockdown restrictions and social distancing norms at few places in Kolkata, including Rajabazar, Narkel Danga, Topsia, Metiabruz, Garden Reach, Ekbalpur and Maniktala which was liable for penal action under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The number of death due to COVID-19 outbreak in the state now stands at seven.
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