COLOMBO, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police on Wednesday said over 60,000 people had been arrested from across the country for violating a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The curfew has been in place indefinitely in capital Colombo and its outskirts while from night till early morning in other districts.
In a statement, the police said 60,425 people were arrested since the curfew was imposed on March 20, for loitering on the roads, gathering and consuming alcohol at public grounds, travelling by vehicle on the roads and behaving in an unruly manner while intoxicated, defying curfew rules.
On Wednesday alone, 660 people were arrested, police said.
Over 12,000 vehicles have also been seized since March 20 and all those arrested have been and will be produced before local courts in the coming days.
Sri Lanka imposed an countrywide 24-hour curfew on March 20, which was loosened later in districts other than Colombo and its outskirts due to a less threat of the spread of the virus.
In capital Colombo and the outskirts of Gampaha, the 24-hour curfew has continued indefinitely since March 24, as these areas have been declared "high risk" areas from the virus. However while the curfew is in place, authorities opened Colombo for the resumption of economic activities last week, permitting only employees from private and public sector to travel to and back from work.
Sri Lanka, has to date, detected over 1,000 COVID-19 infected patients out of which over 500 have recovered and been discharged. Over 400 are under observation in the designated hospitals while nine deaths have been reported. Enditem
