Mumbai: Cops show law to Oshiwara joggers and walkers

The cops have also put up a poster with a message ‘It is not a curfew. It is CURE for U’

To dissuade people from venturing out in the evenings to walk, run, cycle and exercise on Lokhandwala-Oshiwara's Backroad, the police have handed out more than 150 notices under section 149 of the CrPC to offenders.

mid-day had earlier reported how the police were trying every tactic in the book to discourage the fitness enthusiasts not to hit the streets during this second lockdown. They had used loudspeakers and barricaded off a part of the road. This week the cops have set up a poster with an appeal. It concludes with: "It is not a curfew. It is CURE for U."

Senior Inspector Sanjay Bhendale of Oshiwara police station said they were compelled to take strict action as many ignored their repeated requests. "We have spotters on both sides of the road who apprehend people roaming about without a valid reason. We have handed out more than 150 notices in the last two weeks. This has helped reduce the footfall to a certain extent."

Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code implies that every police officer may intervene for the purpose of preventing, and shall, to the best of his ability, prevent, the commission of any cognizable offence.

Bhendale added, "Barricades are set up in the evenings on Backroad. Police officers are on constant patrolling. We used to announce on loudspeakers earlier, but now that is clubbed with handing out notices and putting up posters."