Indian Minister Warns Of ‘Shoot At Sight’ Orders If Lockdown Violated

Hours after Indian PM Narendra Modi announced a nationwide ” lockdown” for 21 days; Telangana CM KCR Rao said his government would be compelled to impose total curfew and “shoot-at-sight” orders if people violated the lockdown.

“If people do not listen and stay indoors, we will be forced to implement a 24-hour curfew. If people continue to be on the streets, then the army will be called in and shoot at sight orders may be issued,’’ Rao said, appealing to the people to not go out, or get into arguments with officials implementing the restrictions.

Telangana has 39 coronavirus cases with four new Covid-19 positive patients identified on Tuesday and over 19,000 foreign returnees, foreign nationals under surveillance. Rao also warned of strict action against foreign returnees if they fail to follow lockdown measures in place and said their passports will be suspended as a result.

On Wednesday, the Telanagana government contacted online food delivery services providers like Big Basket and Grofers to help them restart their operations to serve the people door to door. The Telangana government as a one-time gesture Tuesday night allowed all vehicles waiting since two days at the inter-state borders to enter the state.

The Chief Minister urged all ministers, MLAs and corporators in Hyderabad to “come on roads” to help police enforce the lockdown.

In the neighbouring state of Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said that the police “have been given a free hand to deal with the situation”. The Maharashtra government had on Monday night issued a five-page notification which said that “no suit or legal proceedings shall lie against any person for anything done or intended to be done in good faith under these regulations”.

This means that all government servants have been given blanket legal immunity by the state for enforcement of these regulations.

People were seen thronging markets to stock up on essential items after PM Modi announced complete lockdown for 21 days. From Monday evening and on Tuesday, cops in Nagpur, Aurangabad, Parbhani and other cities began beating up people, mostly youth, who were out on the roads without any valid reason.