Section 144 clamped in Mumbai, in force till 7am on May 1

The Mumbai police on Wednesday issued fresh prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, banning assembly of five or more people at one place in the ity, to contain the spread of Covid-19, an official said.

The order will come into effect from 8 pm on Wednesday and remain valid till 7 am on May 1, he said.

This is part of the Maharashtra government's curfew-like restrictions on public movement over the next 15 days across the state. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, while announcing these restrictions on Tuesday, had said section 144 of CrPC will be in force across the state during the period.

As per the order issued by the Mumbai police, all establishments, public places, activities, services, shall remain closed and nobody will visit public places without a valid reason.

The services and activities mentioned in essential category are exempted from the order during the period. They are also exempted from 7 am to 8 pm on working days and their movement and operations will remain unrestricted, the order stated.

People have been asked to follow social distancing norms, use face masks and observe the directions of the state government issued to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Divisional ACPs, zonal DCPs and regional additional commissioners of police have been empowered to grant exemption or permission in case of emergency and a special case, the order said.

Any person violating the order is liable to be punished under section 188 of the IPC in addition to penal provisions under Epidemic Diseases Act and the National Disaster Management Act, it said.