Two Women Arrested in Delhi for Attacking Civil Defense Staff Who Fined Them Over COVID Mask

According to figures from Delhi Police, 164,562 people were prosecuted for not wearing a mask between April and July this year. More than 1,100 people were fined in New Delhi on one day alone on 15 July for not wearing a mask. Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month described people flouting COVID-19 rules as "a matter of concern".

Delhi Police arrested two women and issued criminal charges against them after they assaulted a team of civil defence volunteers who tried to impose a fine of INR2,000 ($26) on them for not wearing a mask at public place. 

The assault was latest example of violence against personnel involved in enforcing mask wearing. 

Speaking to Sputnik, Parminder Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police said: "This is the first time we have registered a criminal case in our area against COVID-19 protocol violators for obstructing a public servant from performing a duty."

Instances of clashes between law enforcement officers and people not adhering to basic COVID protocols have become a matter of concern, with the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issuing constant public appeals to keep their masks on.

Health experts are cautioning against the casualness that people are exhibiting at a time when the daily count of new COVID cases being reported across the country are more than 38,000.

"It is is imperative just now that people do not cast away their mask but strictly maintain COVID appropriate behaviour. We are anticipating that the third wave will peak in October and already several states are reporting high numbers of cases," Dr Jagat Ram, Director at the prestigious Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research at Union Territory, Chandigarh, told Sputnik. 

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) August 9, 2021

 

Volunteers and police officials have been at the receiving end of transgressors' hostility in the past: in April, four people, including three civil defence volunteers, sustained injuries in New Delhi after a scuffle broke out between them when the law enforcers stopped them for not wearing masks.

Last year, a similar spat between a police inspector and a senior Indian Administrative Officer in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, led to a controversy and complaints being filed against each other.

The inspector, Sri Prakash, accused the IAS officer, Keshav Hingonia, of walking at Sukhna Lake, a popular spot in the city, without a mask.

The officer, in return, charged the cop with misbehaviour.

Jaspal Singh, head of police at Sukhna Lake, told Sputnik about the challenges faced in managing crowded spots and said that police officials - while ensuring people keep their masks on at public places - often get engaged in heated arguments.

The lake sees heavy footfall on weekends and the nature trails around it attract thousands of local residents and tourists. 

"Most of the time, the COVID-19 violators get outraged and try to escape by boasting of their connections with high officials. It's a real challenge to make people adhere to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour," Singh told Sputnik on Tuesday. 

— fearPlz 🇮🇳 (@WilfredQuadros) June 18, 2021

— alok singh (@AlokReporter) April 6, 2021

​On 13 July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi - while interacting with chiefs of the country's north-eastern states - said: "It is true that business and tourism have been greatly affected because of coronavirus. But today I will say it's a matter of concern that people are travelling without masks at hill stations and market places."  

"People have been heard saying that they want to enjoy before the third wave of COVID-19 strikes the country," the Indian Prime Minister added.