Virus scare: Police asked to shut pubs, dance bars in Mumbai

The Mumbai police has been asked to shut pubs, dance bars, discotheques and similar establishments in the city till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday. The police are taking every possible precautionary measure to prevent crowding in public places, he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police N Ambika (Headquarters -1) on Tuesday ordered all senior inspectors, assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure that pubs, discotheques, dance bars and orchestra bars remain closed till March 31, he said. The order has to be executed immediately, the official added.

Earlier, the police had imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in Mumbai to prevent unnecessary gatherings. At least 41 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Maharashtra, seven of them in Mumbai. A Mumbai resident died on Tuesday, becoming the first coronavirus-linked casualty in the state.