4,070 held for defying prohibitory order in valley

At least 4,070 people were detained by security personnel in Kathmandu valley for disobeying prohibitory order which has come into effect from Thursday. 

Security personnel in Kathmandu held a total of 1,965 people who were found defying prohibitory order today, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Ramesh Kumar Basnet at Metropolitan Police Range, Teku. He said police took action against 481 people who came out to the street without any permission or important purpose. Likewise, the security personnel also held 581 four-wheeler vehicles and 903 two-wheelers for plying the road during the prohibitory order. 

SP Basnet said that all of those held by the security personnel for defying the order were freed after reprimanding them and warning them not to repeat the offence again.

Likewise, Spokesperson for Lalitpur District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Arjun Maharjan, informed that a total of 1,829 people were held for defying the order in the district. Of those held for defying the order were 1,218 pedestrians, 176 four-wheeler vehicles and 435 two-wheelers, DSP Maharjan asserted. He said security personnel in Lalitpur had held 826 males and 967 females. 

Similarly, Spokesperson for Bhaktapur District Police Office, SP Deepak Giri said security personnel in the district had held a total of 276 persons including pedestrians and vehicles. He also informed that 40 of the offenders were charged with a fine of Rs 100 each. SP Giri said people who were held today were freed after reprimanding them as today was the first day of the prohibitory order.

The prohibitory order has been imposed in more than a dozen of districts to break the chain of transmission of novel coronavirus infection.

The prohibitory order has been issued as per Section 2 of the Communicable Disease Act, 2020 and Sub-section 3 of Section 6 of Local Administration Act, 2028.

A person who violates this Act or disregards any order issued under this Act shall be liable to punishment of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or a fine not exceeding Rs 100 or with both. Likewise, a person who obstructs a person authorised under this Act with the performance of his/her duties shall be liable to punishment of imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding Rs 600 or with both.

As per the Local Administration Act, 2028, a person who violates this Act or disregards any order issued under this Act shall be liable to punishment of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or a fine not exceeding Rs 500 or the chief district officer (CDO) can charge the offender with both. According to Janak Raj Dahal, Spokesperson and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, stringent action will be taken against people defying prohibitory order from Friday. 

All public and private vehicles have been banned from plying the road in the valley during the prohibitory order.

The vehicles and equipment that could be operated include those operating under essential services like ambulance, drinking water, health, food, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, bank and financial institutions, telecommunication, internet, quarantine, isolation, waster management.

At least 4,500 personnel of Nepal Police have been mobilised to enforce the prohibitory order in the capital city and 800 personnel in Bhaktapur. Additionally, 3,000 APF personnel have been mobilised in three districts of Kathmandu valley.