Chennai, Jan 9 : Tamil Nadu Police are maintaining a strict vigil in the areas bordering Kerala following the Sunday lockdown and the increasing Covid-19 and Omicron variant in the state.
Tamil Nadu reported 10,000 fresh cases on Saturday with 196 Omicron cases and, hence the state has enforced stringent vigil, especially those coming from Kerala.
The police have closed one way to the state at the Walayar check post and are not allowing any vehicle from Kerala, which is not travelling into Coimbatore if it is not an essential reason. Tamil Nadu Police are allowing people into the state from the Wayalar border who are travelling to Coimbatore airport as also for medical emergencies to Coimbatore and other parts of the state.
R. Sadanagoplan, Sub Inspector of Tamil Nadu Police, who is leading a team into inspecting vehicles from Kerala, while speaking to IANS said, “There is a total lockdown in Tamil Nadu today and it has been announced much earlier. So only those vehicles that are travelling to the state in an emergency are allowed into our state, including flight travel as well as medical emergencies.”
Tamil Nadu has also made it strict that only those who have a negative RT-PCR certificate taken within 72 hours are allowed to travel if the passenger has not taken the two jabs of vaccine. It means either an RT-PCR negative certificate taken within 72 hours of the journey or two doses of vaccine are mandatory to travel to the state of Tamil Nadu.
At Kaliyakkavilai bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu from Thiruvananthapuram also there is a strong police contingent that is manning the Tamil Nadu side of the border. Police have enforced strict vigil and vehicles that are reaching the state for purchase of groceries and other essentials are not allowed to cross the border given the lockdown on Sunday.
M. Joseph Sundaran, Sub Inspector of Police who is part of a team of policemen on guard at the border while speaking to IANS said, “The government of Tamil Nadu has announced lockdown for Sunday and we are not allowing any vehicle from Kerala to cross the border. We have already announced several days ahead of this that vehicles and people will not be allowed except for some funerals or weddings if there is proper proof.”
At the Idukki border in Vandiperiyar also vehicles and people are not allowed to enter Tamil Nadu following lockdown in Tamil Nadu. (IANS)