Section 144 imposed in Mumbai for 48 hours over Omicron cases

Mumbai: Amid rising cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Mumbai Police on Friday imposed prohibitory orders in the city for 48 hours, banning large gatherings over the weekend.

A police official, cited by the PTI news agency, said the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) within the Mumbai Commissionerate limits also restrict rallies and protest marches involving people and vehicles over the next two days.

The orders, issued by the deputy commissioner of police (operations) in Mumbai, were necessary, according to the police, in view of the threat posed by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is said to be highly infectious and capable of undergoing frequent mutations. The restrictive orders also come against the backdrop of violent protests in Amravati and other regions in Maharashtra last week.

“It has been issued to prevent danger to human life from the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 as well as a threat to the law and order situation against the backdrop of violence that took place in Amravati, Malegaon, and Nanded,” a senior police official was quoted as saying by PTI.

According to the prohibitory orders issued in Mumbai, violators will be punished under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other legal provisions.