MUMBAI, March 22 (Xinhua) -- India's western state of Maharashtra has imposed section 144 across urban hubs including Mumbai, restricting gathering of more than five people across cities, said state Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray addressing citizens through video conferencing, Sunday.
Section 144 of India's Criminal Procedure Code empowers an executive magistrate to issue orders in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger prohibiting unlawful assembly of over five persons when unrest is anticipated.
"The restrictions of unlawful assembly have been levied as there are chances that infections may grow multi-fold," he said, requesting people to avoid unnecessary travel even after the self-imposed curfew ends at 9 p.m. local time Sunday.
Earlier in the day Mumbai reported its 2nd casualty from coronavirus after a 63-year old person died on late Saturday night taking India's death toll to five so far.
The restricting on gathering more than five people are over and above the restrictions on citizens to avoid using public transport including railways and city buses effective from mid-night on Sunday till March 31. The public transport services are available only to government personnel engaged in provision of essential services and those who need urgent medical aid in an effort to tackle the pandemic.
Citizens with valid long-distance train tickets travelling to reach the railway terminus will be allowed to board local trains on inspection of their journey tickets.
While banks and stock exchanges will continue to operate in the state, all religious places should be closed to the public immediately, the Chief Minister said.
The state government has also brought its employee strength working in its offices to 5 percent from 25 percent, Thackeray said.
Maharashtra leads all states in India with 63 active COVID-19 cases including three foreign nationals out of the total positive cases in the country at 324, including 41 foreign nationals, as per the official government update on Sunday morning.
