By Express News Service KOCHI: Without food, water or even an effective protective gear, cops in the district are waging a war without weapons. Their only protection is a face mask. Though the district administration has implemented prohibitory orders as part of the state-wide lockdown to fight the Covid-19 outbreak, hundreds were seen roaming the streets while a few hit the streets in their vehicles adding to the perils of the police. Cops were on their toes stopping motorists and advising them to stay at home. They didn’t have the luxury of liquid soap and sanitisers to ensure their safety. As most eateries remained closed, many of them starved. However, police personnel in the district did a commendable job by preventing people from gathering unnecessarily on the first day of the lockdown. City police registered 58 cases for violation of lockdown advisory, while Ernakulam Rural Police registered 75 cases on Tuesday. Though 54 people were taken into custody for violating prohibitory orders, they were released on bail. Rural police arrested about 30 persons for flouting the advisory. Since morning itself, private vehicles hit the streets though public transport services kept off the road. The city police deployed squads in all major junctions to check the vehicles. In Kaloor, High Court Junction, Madhava Pharmacy Junction, Vyttila, Thevara, Palarivattom, Kakkanad, Tripunithura, Maradu and Panangadu, the police conducted vehicle checks and focused especially on those crossing the district border. The officers stopped the vehicles, including two-wheelers, and inquired about the purpose of journey. Several persons were sent back to their houses after they found the reasons unconvincing. As the Beverage Corporation’s liquor outlets were open, police officers were deployed at every outlet to monitor the people and prevent gatherings. The city’s outlets witnessed only a minimal flow of customers compared to normal days. Shops and liquor outlets were closed by 5pm. The police personnel were also deployed at places which witnessed crowds such as markets, malls and places of worship. “We found many persons arriving in the city to witness the lockdown measures being implemented. The flow of people was mainly in the morning and in the evening. The police seized several two-wheelers used for unnecessary journeys in the city,” said a police officer who was on duty at Kaloor. Yuvamorcha workers took out a protest march to a liquor outlet at Aluva adding to the worries of the cops. A section of workers conducted the march to the outlet near the private bus stand in Aluva in the morning. The police arrested the protesters and evicted them from the spot. Aluva East Police registered a case. Covid-19: Tuesday update Number of positive cases: 1 Number of individuals under home quarantine: 4,347 Number of individuals in isolation wards: 33 (Ernakulam MCH: 26, Muvattupuzha: 7) Individuals added to isolation: 4 Individuals added to home quarantine: 468 Released from surveillance: 322 Samples sent for testing to NIV-Alappuzha: 32 Samples awaiting results: 57 Covid-19 care centres in district: 76

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