A notification issued on Thursday 25th June 2020, by the Gujarat Home Department stated that the Home Department had asked the State Director General of Police (DGP) and other senior officers not to grant any leave to the police personnel stating that their presence was required for the effective implementation of Unlock- 1. The notification stated, “The presence of all the available police force was necessary for the implementation of the Centre's guidelines for the phased re-opening of coronavirus-induced lockdown or Unlock-1 that came into effect from June 1.” It added, “For the effective implementation of Unlock-1, it is necessary that police personnel remain active in the field. Therefore, all the police officers as well as lower rung police personnel are hereby advised not to demand leave unless it is for medical or any other unavoidable reasons.”
The home Department also asked all senior officers, including the State DGP, Range Inspector Generals, and all District Superintendents of Police, not to approve any leave to their subordinate staff, except for medical reasons or other emergencies. Following the guidelines of the Central Government, the Government of Gujarat announced a relaxation of the lockdown from 1st June 2020.
Recently, on 14th June 2020, a circular issued by the Gujarat Government entrusted Police instead of civic bodies with a collection of fines from people who are not wearing masks amid the coronavirus outbreak. The fine in the state is Rs. 200 for not wearing masks. Earlier it was collected by municipal corporations or local bodies. The circular issued stated, “Instead of the municipal commissioner, collector, municipality and local self-government bodies, the fines will now be collected by the police commissioner and superintendent of Police in their respective jurisdiction.” The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation also said that it was using CCTV cameras under a safe and secure Ahmedabad project of Smart City Ahmedabad Development Limited to nab people moving about in public without wearing masks.
On 22nd June 2020, a Mehsana- based Bootlegger and his aide kept throwing liquor bottles at police vehicles that were chasing them near Amirgadh in Banaskantha district, when they were smuggling liquor into the dry state of Gujarat. An official of Amirgadh police stated that they got a tip that Mayurji Thakor and his aide Kaushik Badhia who are residents of Mehsana were carrying liquor into their car and were traveling from Abu Road to Amirgadh. When they saw Thakor’s car, the police gave chase in a police van and a car. As Thakor saw the cops, he increased his speed. The police followed them, and a chase sequence began. Thakor and Badhia began throwing liquor bottles at pursuing police vehicles at regular intervals. After a while, Thakor lost control of his vehicle and as a result, they were caught and booked.
