Exercise self-restraint while using social media, says Chennai Police Commissioner – The Hindu

People should exercise self-restraint while using social media, City Police Commissioner Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal said on Sunday.

He was addressing mediapersons near the Dr. M.G.R. Chennai Central Railway Station, after inspecting enforcement of the complete lockdown on Sunday.

Mr. Aggarwal said the police had chalked out a detailed plan to handle cyber crime cases and it would be implemented in a week. “People should be disciplined. They should use social media to do good and not to abuse others or create fake accounts,” he said.

Regarding the complete lockdown, he said there was good cooperation from the public. “The lockdown will help break the chain [of COVID-19 transmission]. A total of 193 checkpoints have been set up across the city and 13,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure a full-fledged lockdown. Vehicle movement has lessened,” Mr. Aggarwal said.

He said 1.18 lakh cases had been registered for violation of Section 144, and 1.57 lakh vehicles seized. From Sunday morning till afternoon, around 850 cases had been registered and 600 vehicles seized.

“We have also adopted a new strategy to tackle lockdown violators. Instead of seizing vehicles, we register a case against them and let them off with a warning,” Mr. Aggarwal said.

Crackdown on narcotics

In a release, the Police Commissioner warned that stringent action would be taken against those who indulge in trafficking of ganja, gutkha, mawa and liquor.

Between July 10 and July 24, 648 cases had been booked for stocking and selling banned gutkha products, ganja and liquor, and 706 suspects were arrested. In total, 17,258 gutkha and pan masala packets, 873 kg of mawa, 2,190 kg of ganja and 8,076 liquor bottles had been seized from them. Thirty seven vehicles were also seized, the release said.