Section 144 Extended till July 31 in Gautam Buddh Nagar as Covid-19 Cases Continue to Surge

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which bans unlawful assembly of people, was on Wednesday extended in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district till July 31 in view of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to an official order.

Section 144 of the CrPC has been renewed even in 'Unlock 2', the phased re-opening of activities that had been barred to contain the spread of COVID-19, began in the state and the country.

Political, social, sporting or religious congregations, protest rallies or processions will remain banned across Noida and Greater Noida during the period, the Gautam Nagar district police said.

Except for medical personnel and essential service providers, nobody would be allowed to move in or out of containment zones in Gautam Buddh Nagar, according to the order.

There are 293 containment zones in the district, including residential towers and societies, of which 235 are in category I (one COVID-19 case) and 58 in category II (more than one case), the administration said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Restrictions under CrPC section 144 will remain in force in Gautam Buddh Nagar till July 31," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Ashutosh Dwivedi said.

Nobody is allowed outdoor movement without masks in public places and spitting is strictly prohibited, the order stated.

Those above the age of 65 or with co-morbidities (ailments), pregnant women and children below 10 years of age have also been advised to stay indoors, it added.

Movement of people and vehicles except for essential services is barred from 8 pm to 6 am till July 10, according to the order.

All educational institutions, cinema halls, assembly halls, swimming pools, theatres will remain closed until further orders, it stated.

"Strict action will be taken against anyone who violates the restriction orders under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant)," Dwivedi stated in the order.

Gautam Buddh Nagar, adjoining Delhi, has so far recorded 2,362 COVID-19 cases, of which 817 are active. There have been 22 deaths linked to COVID-19 in the district, while 1,523 patients have got discharged after treatment, according to official figures.