Section 144 to be imposed in Bengaluru for 12 hours from 6 pm on December 31

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said there will be no New Year's Eve celebrations at public places due to Covid-19 and emergence of the new strain of the virus in the United Kingdom.

Section 144 will be imposed in Bengaluru from 6pm on 31 December till 6am on 1 January, said Kamal Pant, Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru.

"'No-man' zones will be created at MG Road, Church Street, Brigade Road, Koramangala and Indiranagar; only those with advance reservation coupons for pubs, bars, restaurants will be allowed," he said.

Meanwhile, owners of pubs and bars in the state capital Bengaluru said they aren't expecting a good business during New Year celebrations this time.

Owner of a pub told ANI, "DJ systems aren't allowed and people cannot dance inside premises. We've seen on 24 December night, many people cancelled their bookings."

Karnataka's Covid-19 tally reached 9,16,909 on Monday with 653 new cases detected in the last 24 hours. Total number of recoveries reached 8.92 lakh with 1,178 discharges in the last 24 hours. Death toll reached 12,070 with 8 more fatalities reported on Monday.

There are 12,547 active cases in the state.

Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Monday hinted at stringent action against those returnees from the United Kingdom who were untraceable and had switched off their mobile phones.

It could even be police action against them, the minister indicated.

"I request the UK returnees to cooperate with us as responsible citizens. You have to get tested. If you don't get tested and switch off your phone, then it's a crime in true sense," Sudhakar told reporters here.

Official sources said around 300 people who returned from the UK, where a new strain of coronavirus has emerged recently, were yet to be traced.

Responding to queries, Sudhakar said he would hold a meeting with Bommai after the cabinet meeting because the UK returnees could not be tracked, have switched off their phones and were not responding to requests through media and social media.

To a question whether police cases will be registered, he said, "I am compelled to say that I will discuss with the Home Minister and decide the future course of action."

According to him, till now 1,614 people have been tested.

Of them, 26 people have tested positive till Sunday evening.