“Bulati hain par bahar jane ka nai (She calls you but don’t go out),” Dhubri police tweeted on Monday as safety restrictions continued to be violated in Assam on the sixth day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown despite repeated requests and warnings.

This was reflected in the cumulative statewide figure released by the Assam police on Monday — 227 cases registered in 314 incidents of lockdown violation, 425 people arrested and 1,636 vehicles seized, including 1,460 two-wheelers and 174 four-wheelers. The police have also realised penalty of Rs 5.55 lakh till now.

Though no positive case has been reported so far, the government is reviewing the situation at all levels to ensure people stay at home, by reaching out to the stranded outside the state and by providing relief to the poor and needy.

Governor Jagdish Mukhi and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal separately reviewed the situation — Mukhi with senior officials, including chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna and director-general of police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, and Sonowal with his council of ministers. The chief secretary also held his daily stocktaking.

Mukhi said the government should deploy men and machinery fully to mitigate the emergent situation arising out of Covid-19 and appealed for a complete lockdown for 21 days to contain and control the outbreak of the virus.

Religious leaders and people’s representatives also appealed to the people not to step out of their homes and to extend full cooperation to the state government and the district administrations to thwart the coronavirus threat.

ASTC managing director Anand Prakash Tiwari said, “I am sharing a genuine concern with request to broadcast through news/debate/other means in greater public interest. We are receiving a large number of requests of people from various states who want to come back home to Assam. This is not possible as per as government instructions nor is it in the interest of the people themselves.”

He said most of these people are living in safe conditions with adequate food and other supplies. They must maintain calm and be patient.

“There are some other people belonging to Assam who are in genuine need of food, medicines, accommodation. We are trying our level best to extend help and meet their concerns in coordination with authorities in their respective states,” Tiwari said.

MLA quarantine

In Barak Valley, Katlicherra MLA Suzamuddin Laskar is in home quarantine because of his travel history. Laskar told The Telegraph on Monday, “I am under 14-day home quarantine following my visit to Hyderabad. I am feeling quite well. I appeal to the people to adhere to the lockdown guidelines and remain indoors to stay safe and healthy.”

Hailakandi MLA Anwar Hussain Laskar also appealed to the people to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s appeal to remain indoors and to boost the morale of frontline workers and officials who are battling the coronavirus threat in the field.

Relief measures

Assam police made a WhatsApp number functional on Monday to collect information about its citizens stranded in other states — an area of huge concern apart from lockdown violations and providing relief to the poor and needy.

An official communiqué of Assam police said, “You may be getting calls from people of Assam stranded in other states. If you get any such calls, forward it to director-general Control WhatsApp number 9435215029 with complete information like name, contact details and location of the person.”

The Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabha, Assam, a conglomerate of eight indigenous tribal literary bodies, urged the government to make proper food and lodging arrangements for the thousands of migrant workers from the state who are stranded outside.

Guwahati police distributed ration to 300 needy people on Monday and arranged food for stray animals. The police said the drive would continue.

Suspected case: A man in West Karbi Anglong district, suffering from fever, body ache and sore throat since Sunday, was brought to Diphu on Monday for tests. He had returned to his native Ramthepi village from Kerala on March 19.

Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council chief executive member Tuliram Ronghang has extended an aid of Rs 9.88 lakh for Karbis stranded elsewhere in the country following the nationwide lockdown.

In Dima Hasao district, North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council chief executive member Debolal Gorlosa donated Rs 35 lakh for distribution of rice and other essentials to below poverty line families, contractors donated Rs 5.5 and NCHAC executive member Nandita Gorlosa donated Rs 1 lakh.

Dima Hasao police are distributing free meals to the homeless and feeding stray dogs in Haflong and the nearby areas.

In Dima Hasao, surveillance teams have identified 427 people for home quarantine till date.

Medical teams are constantly working on making adequate arrangements of medical supplies, beds and medicines in case of probable outbreak of Covid-19 in the district.

In Hojai district, the police on Monday asked the imams of Murajhar area to make people aware about coronavirus and the 21-day lockdown through masjid loudspeakers and exhort everyone to stay at home. An awareness meeting was held with the imams at Murajhar police station, superintendent of police Ankur Jain said.

Additional reporting by Suroj Barman in Haflong and Nikhil Mundra in Hojai