Covid-19: Mizoram CM asks Modi, Amit Shah to take action against attacks on North Eastern people

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Monday urged the prime minister and home minister to take action against those racially attacking people from the North East amid the coronavirus outbreak. The chief minister’s statement came after two students from Nagaland were denied entry at the grocery store of a large retail chain in Mysuru.

Covid-19: Delhi court grants bail to three Shaheen Bagh protestors accused of defying lockdown

A court in Delhi on Monday granted bail to three protestors from Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh locality who were charged for allegedly disobeying restrictions on gatherings imposed by the state and the central governments in view of the nationwide lockdown, Live Law reported. The lockdown has been imposed for a three-week period from March 25 to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Covid-19: Health ministry issues advisory for elderly people with list of do’s and don’ts

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday issued an advisory for elderly people, listing “do’s” and “don’ts” they should follow in order to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus. The advisory said that while the government has taken stringent measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, including a 21-day nationwide lockdown, it is necessary for people to follow the protocols and take measures to break the chain of transmission.

Coronavirus: Villagers in Bihar, UP report returning migrant workers to the police

Thousands of migrant labourers, walking back to their villages from their places of work following the 21-day lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic, have not been welcomed back, PTI reported on Sunday. Instead, reports emerged of villagers handing them over to the police, who put them into quarantine camps.

Covid-19: People with prescriptions can get alcohol during lockdown, says Kerala government

After closing down all liquor outlets in the state amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown because of coronavirus, the Kerala government on Monday said that it will provide alcohol to people with a doctor’s prescription and provide treatment to those experiencing withdrawal symptoms, ANI reported. The government’s decision came after reports of suicides over non-availability of liquor.

Coronavirus: SC asks for Centre’s report on steps taken amid migration of workers

The Supreme Court on Monday asked for a status report from the Centre by the following day on the measures related to the large-scale migration of workers amid the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, reported PTI. The top court noted that the migration of labourers due to panic over the spreading Covid-19 was becoming a bigger problem than containment of the disease.

Covid-19: Indian markets fall steeply in morning trade, global oil prices hit 17-year low

Indian markets fell sharply on Monday morning, but pared their losses slightly following reports that the government had no plans to extend the 21-day lockdown imposed in the country due to the coronavirus pandemic, Business Standard reported.

Covid-19 lockdown: Two Delhi IAS officers suspended for ‘serious security lapses’

The Ministry of Home Affairs has suspended two senior Indian Administrative Service officers, and issued showcause notices to two others for “failing to ensure public health and safety” amid the three-week countrywide lockdown that entered its sixth day on Monday, PTI reported.

Coronavirus: J&K home department revokes detention orders of 14 prisoners lodged in Srinagar prison

The Jammu and Kashmir Home Department has revoked the detention orders of 14 people lodged in Central Jail in Srinagar and directed their immediate release amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Greater Kashmir reported on Monday. “We have ordered immediate release of 14 persons detained under PSA [Public Security Act] from the Central Jail Srinagar,” a senior Home Department official told the newspaper. “Most of them were arrested in August last year.”

Covid-19: No plan to extend lockdown right now, says Centre, calls such reports ‘baseless’ rumours

The Centre on Monday dispelled all reports claiming that the three-week countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus would be further extended, and said they are baseless rumours. India began its sixth day in lockdown on Monday as confirmed coronavirus cases stood at 1,071. Out of these, 942 are being treated, 29 people have died, 99 have recovered, and one person has migrated.

Coronavirus: Haryana could convert indoor stadiums into ‘temporary jails’ for lockdown violators

Haryana Director General of Police Manoj Yadava on Sunday evening issued a notification that large indoor stadiums in the state could be converted into “temporary jails” for those who violate the lockdown, imposed nationwide for a three-week period since March 25 to combat the spread of the coronavirus, NDTV reported.

Coronavirus: Centre sets up 11 empowered groups to contain outbreak

The Narendra Modi-led government on Sunday set up 11 empowered groups as part of its response to the outbreak of Covid-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus, in India. The focus groups were set up under the Disaster Management Act to “synchronise efforts cutting across ministries and departments” in containing the pandemic.

Covid-19 lockdown: Supreme Court to hear plea on plight of migrant workers today

The Supreme Court on Monday will hear a petition seeking relief for tens of thousands of migrant workers, mostly young male daily wage labourers, who are fleeing large cities after being rendered homeless and jobless by India’s three-week nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, NDTV reported. The petition filed by an advocate, Alakh Alok Srivastava, seeks to provide basic amenities such as food, water and shelter to the migrant workers.

Covid-19: Punjab, West Bengal report second deaths, cases in Maharashtra surge to 215

India began its sixth day in lockdown on Monday as confirmed coronavirus cases stood at 1,024. Out of these, 901 are being treated, 27 people have died, 95 have recovered, and one person has migrated. Covid-19, the disease caused by coronavirus has claimed 27 lives in the country so far.

Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump said the country will see a spike in the death rate in two weeks due to the pandemic. The president extended “social distancing” guidelines until April 30.

Coronavirus: Centre says India is in ‘limited’ community transmission phase

The Union health ministry has admitted that India was in the “limited” community transmission phase as the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases went up to 1,024 as of Sunday evening. Of the total cases, 901 are being treated, 27 people have died, 95 have recovered, and one person has migrated.

“This SOP [Standard Operating Procedure] is applicable to current phase of COVID-19 pandemic in India (local transmission and limited community transmission), wherein as per plan of action, all suspect cases are admitted to isolation facilities,” a statement from the ministry said.

FIR filed against AAP MLA Raghav Chadha for tweeting against Adityanath over migrant exodus

A first information report was registered against Aam Aadmi Party MLA Raghav Chadha on Sunday for making alleged objectionable statements about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath over the mass migrant exodus that started after a countrywide lockdown was announced to battle coronavirus, The Indian Express reported. The FIR was filed based on a complaint by Prashant Patel, an advocate, in Noida.

Coronavirus: Tihar Jail releases over 400 prisoners in bid to decongest prisons

Authorities at Delhi’s Tihar Jail on Saturday released over 400 prisoners to decongest prisons amid the coronavirus pandemic that has infected at least 929 people in India and caused 25 deaths, PTI reported.

An unidentified jail official told PTI that out of the total 419 prisoners, 356 were released on an interim bail for 45 days, while the remaining 63 were released on an eight-week emergency parole. More prisoners would be released over the next few days, the official added.

Covid-19: In letter to Modi, Rahul Gandhi says lockdown will lead to ‘catastrophic loss of life’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over the three-week countrywide lockdown imposed to mitigate the coronavirus crisis, and said the suddenness of the announcement has resulted in immense panic and confusion, PTI reported.

In a letter to the prime minister, Gandhi called for a “nuanced approach” that takes the “complex realities” of our people into consideration, instead of a complete lockdown which, he said, is better suited in the context of developed countries.