The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) has registered three cases in connection to lockdown violation so far. With this regard, they have apprehended 6 people, however, they were all sent on surety as the matter was not serious.
The three cases were reported from Thimphu, Kamji under Chukha and Dagana. In Thimphu’s case, they have arrested one 33-year-old man who owns a grocery shop. During lockdown he was not supposed to open his shop, however, he violated the lockdown protocol by opening his shop.
In Dagana’s case, a family comprising of a father (42 year-old), mother (42 year-old) and two children (including one 4-year old) were caught walking from their house towards their pigs’ stall. They were caught by those on duty when they were on their way to feed their pigs.
The family owns a piggery and walked almost 438 meters from their house through the town.
The case which was reported at Kamji involves a 32-year-old driver. On 10 August, he has travelled to Phuentsholing as directed by his owner for vehicle maintenance. The vehicle was handed over to the workshop the same day; however, next day the lockdown was imposed and the workshop did not entertain him. That night, he had to take shelter at one of the nearby scrap shops.
He tried to seek help calling toll free number and his owner but since he did not get any help, without informing anyone, on 12 August he walked through Dhamdara, Phuentsholing and evaded the Rinchending check post. He started walking towards Kamji and upon reaching Kamji he was caught by DeSuups.
He was taken to hospital as his legs were swollen due to the walk. Kamji is about 40 km from Phuentsholing.
An official from RBP said that the cases are under investigation and if they have to be charged, they will be charged for offence of criminal nuisance as they are compromising and endangering other people’s life.
He said, “We urge the public not to take things lightly and to comply with the lockdown. We could understand during the first day as everything happened ad hoc and we compromised on a few issues, like letting them complete their journey for those that got stranded in a different location.”
But with time, he said that people should by now understand what a lockdown is.
I dont see any voiletion of lockdown rules otheer than that man opening shop..
In Dagana case family went for the the feeding and since the pigstery will be far sp of course they need to walk lil miles for that…
And about case in Kamji that man got no option so he land up like that..What if those troll free number could have responded to him ,if any person had helped him..
I think Desups and people on duty should atlesst consider the situation before complaining it to police..Thou they are doing great job but they should forsee the cause before it bring some consequences to the peope..Thanks