Technology put to full use against lockdown violators

GNN | Apr 30, 2020, 3:39 AM IST|

• Surat Police use social media platforms to nab violators
• Crime Branch keeps a hawk eye through three drones

Gujarat News Network

Surat, March 30, 2020: Technology and one of its biggest offshoots – social media platforms can play a positive role in helping law enforcement agencies. On Sunday (March 29) the Surat Police made full use of social media platforms to track down and arrest 28 people for violating lockdown orders. This happened after the police started receiving complaints on its Twitter and Facebook pages.

GNN learns the police registered offences of violation of order against people who did not maintain the crucial social distancing and who were mostly seen assembling in groups at the same places. Vigilant citizens sent pictures of these people assembling to the police on social media sites.

From the few photos shared on its FB page, police attended to 15 complaints from different areas. In these photos people tired of staying indoors were seen hanging out or playing cards in groups without maintain the mandatory social distancing.

This report learns cops visited different spots and after verification registered cases in areas under Puna in east Surat alongwith Amroli and Katargam police stations in north Surat.

All these three areas are peripheral areas and have different types of textile units and diamond cutting and polishing units. People residing in these areas are mostly migrants from Saurashtra in western Gujarat and also from other parts of India

Besides social media platforms, Surat cops have also put to good use drones. Based on camera footage captured by these drones, cops have also registered 25 cases against those found assembling without maintaining social distancing. “Drones are being used by different police stations in Surat to effectively monitor areas,” a senior police officer tells GNN.

The Surat Crime Branch also deploys cameras on three drones and everyday changes its location within the city to monitor different areas through the hawk’s eye.

Surat Police Commissioner RB Brahmbhatt said, "We have adopted different technologies to keep a round the clock close watch on all parts of city to enforce lockdown in an effective and efficient manner.” Appealing to the people to cooperate with the police in this time of global crisis, Brahmbhatt adds, “People should understand and cooperate and stay indoors because police will take strictest possible actions if anyone is found violating the orders."


Surat Police registered a total of 77 cases of violation of orders issued under public notification and detained 475 vehicles in the city. Since the lockdown was enforced, cops have registered 295 offences of violation of public notification and detained 2380 vehicles.