'New varient' scare: Mumbai gears up for night curfew; essential supplies spared
Mumbai, Dec 21: As the Maharashtra government on Monday declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas, the Mumbai civic administration moved to enforce restrictions and make arrangements to quarantine air passengers arriving from Britain, where a new COVID-19 variant is spreading fast.
The state government has declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas (cities) from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary measure amid growing concerns over the new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.
As per the state government directive, a curfew between 11 pm and 6 am will be enforced in the financial capital till January 5, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner I S Chahal said.
Chahal said essential services like vegetable and milk supply will remain unaffected during the night curfew but more than five people can not assemble at a place during the seven- hour-long period.
The IAS officer said the government decision will put restrictions on Christmas and New Year celebrations in the metropolis.
People were found violating COVID-19-related norms at pubs and night clubs during recent raids, the civic commissioner said.
As per the state government estimates, around 1,000 passengers are expected to arrive at the city airport by five flights from the UK till December 22 midnight, he said.
Chahal said all of them will be compulsorily kept at institutional quarantine facilities for seven days even if they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Passengers showing COVID-19-like symptoms will be admitted at the BMC-run Seven Hills Hospital at suburban Marol, he said.
Passengers from Pune, Nagpur and other parts of the state coming by these flights won't be allowed to go home and they will have to stay in institutional quarantine even if they do not show any COVID-19 symptoms.
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Kerala HC denies bail to police officer accused of 'raping' minor Dalit girl
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court has denied bail to a police officer accused of raping a 14-year-old school girl belonging to Dalit community two years ago on Children's Day in a house in Thrissur district of the state.
Justice K Babu denied the relief to the officer, who was a Student Police Cadet (SPC) instructor in the victim's school, saying that he had committed a "heinous offence" and was "not entitled to be released on bail".
"While the court cannot ignore the fundamental right of the accused under Article 21 of the Constitution, it cannot shut its eyes totally to the atrocious nature of the offence committed.
"The material placed by the prosecution would reveal that the appellant (police officer) is alleged to have committed heinous offences. The prosecution has established a prima facie case," the High Court said.
The order came on the officer's plea challenging a session court's decision rejecting his bail application.
According to the prosecution, the victim is a member of Scheduled Caste and the accused seduced her by maintaining a relationship with her over the phone.
On November 14, 2022, he took her to a house near Kodungallur in Thrissur district by offering a birthday treat and raped her, the prosecution told the High Court.
He was arrested on September 26, 2024 and has been in judicial custody since then.
The officer has been booked for various offences, including rape, under the IPC, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
