Karnataka Home Minister directs police to show restraint in enforcing COVID restrictions
Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said he has directed the police to exercise restraint while dealing with people during the COVID related restrictions in the state and prefer other ways such as seizing vehicles of those who violated guidelines.
The government has come under sharp attack from some quarters including opposition as police used force at several places to impose stringent restrictions as ordered by the government to curb the spread of COVID.
"The police have reduced enforcing the restriction from 6 am to 10 am such as seizing the vehicles.
There are other ways to deal with people (violators) such as seizing vehicles and imposing fine (after 10 am) which should be done as per rule," Bommai told reporters at the Veterinary College at Hebbal in the city where a new COVID care centre has been launched.
He also sought public support in the drive to check the spread of the disease.
"We have given directions to the police not to use force but we need people's cooperation for at least 14 days to make lockdown successful," Bommai said.
To a question, Bommai said caning violators has been stopped now.
Meanwhile, a purported video surfaced in the social media where a man, said to be a banker, was allegedly beaten up by the police at Gandhi Chowk in the district headquarter town of Vijayapura in North Karnataka.
Basavaraj, a bank officer, had left for office when the policemen stopped him.
Though he showed his identity card, the policemen beat him up badly, it was alleged.
The Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant said last evening the police have been advised not to use any kind of force.
"Contrary to the videos doing rounds on Social Media, @BlrCityPolice has been strictly advised to only take action strictly as per law, in case anybody violates lock-down guidelines.
They have been advised not to use any kind of force in this regard", Pant had tweeted.
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Russian First Deputy PM Manturov meets PM Modi; discusses trade, energy ties
New Delhi (PTI): Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties in areas of investment, energy and industrial cooperation.
Manturov, on a two-day visit to India, also held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The Russian embassy said Modi and Manturov discussed "specific steps to implement agreements reached" during the India-Russia summit held in December last.
"Particular attention was paid to further strengthening Russia-India trade, economic, investment, energy and industrial cooperation," it said on social media.
In their meeting, Doval and Manturov were learnt to have discussed bilateral defence cooperation besides the evolving regional security situation.
The Russian first deputy PM's visit to New Delhi comes days after India cleared procurement of a fresh batch of five S-400 missile systems from Russia.
The decision to procure the additional batch of five S-400 air defence missile systems was taken against the backdrop of the missile system proving its capability during Operation Sindoor.
The missile system played a crucial role in India's dominance over Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities last year.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
In the talks, the two sides are also expected to exchange views on the West Asia conflict and its impact on global economy, especially on the energy sector.
It is learnt that both sides also reviewed the implementation of decisions taken at the summit talks between Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in last December.
Following talks between the two leaders, India and Russia unveiled a raft of measures including a five-year roadmap to build a robust economic partnership and to increase the annual trade to USD 100 billion by 2030.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week lauded India's "independent foreign policy" and said that Russia looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi for a visit this year.
In an address at a conference titled 'India and Russia: Towards a new bilateral agenda', he said the "time-tested" friendship between the two countries is a model on interstate relations based on mutual trust and respect.
