Dimapur: CrPC Section 144 to come into effect from 6 am today

• Assembly of more than 5 persons prohibited
• Special permission for pre-arranged gatherings 
• Non essential vehicular movement prohibited
• Essential commodity outlets/shops exempt 

Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 23

Prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 will come into effect in Dimapur district beginning 6:00 am, March 24. The order, promulgated by the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, will prohibit assembly of more than 5 people and movement of non-essential vehicles. 

 “It has become necessary to take all required precautionary steps for mitigating possible serious effects of the spread of COVID-19 for public health, public safety and public order,” stated the order. Any person violating the directive will be liable for punishment under IPC section 188.  

It will not be a complete shutdown however. The order spelled out exemptions so that essential public services are not affected. The essential public services included the Police, Army, Para Military forces, Magistrates on duty, doctors and medical personnel, media, persons engaged in emergency services and commodity stores/shops dealing in essential daily needs. 

“Pre arranged gatherings” or social engagements like weddings, which were scheduled in advance can go ahead but with special permission from CP’s office. Making the announcement to the media on Monday evening,

Commissioner of Police, Rothihu Tetseo said that the order was necessitated taking into consideration the day’s poor public response to the earlier government notices to minimize gatherings and travel. 

He advised carrying of official IDs by all people involved in non-uniformed essential services to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings between the police and such personnel. 

Queried on the plying of public transport, the CP replied that for emergency travel, people can hire autorickshaws or taxis to move from one point to another. However, no autorickshaw will be allowed to park in a public place or the usual parking slots. 

Meanwhile, the Home Department today made additions to its list of services exempted from the purview of the restrictions it imposed across the state on Sunday. These include IOC and all other petroleum PSUs, FCI, Home Guards and Civil Defense, BSNL, all private telecom and Internet Service Providers and their technical staff, LPG dealers and their delivery, private water tankers/carriers, ongoing road construction works as well as vehicles transporting road construction materials and equipment.