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Bengaluru, Jul 6: As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Karnataka, more than 20 police stations were sealed in Bengaluru after many policemen tested positive for novel coronavirus.

"Since the last few weeks, the number of COVID-19 cases in the police department has increased as many of the policemen have tested positive, so that's the reason why the police have taken a decision to close police stations," Bengaluru Commissioner of police Bhaskar Rao said.

He added, "However, people can lodge their complaints and other issues can be solved in help desks launched outside premises of the police station. Most of the areas where positive cases found in the police station are been sealed down for the safety of the people and sanitised them."

However, some of the police stations would be functional from outside the premises.

Commercial Street, Cottonpete, Chickepete, KG Halli traffic police station are among the few stations closed due to scare of the coronavirus spread after some policemen tested positive in particular stations.

Rao further said that the traffic police, civil police along with home guards have been given safety gloves, face masks, and sanitizers along with face covers by the department of police.

According to the Union Health Ministry, 23,474 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the state, as of Monday.

Bengaluru, June 11: Amulya Leona, a college student, who was charged with sedition for raising "Pakistan zindabad" slogans in Bengaluru, has finally been granted bail. 

The court had denied her bail yesterday, saying she might abscond. But her lawyers had been pursuing another way of getting her out of jail where she has spent nearly four months.

Ms Leona's advocate, Prasanna R, said that the delay of the state in submitting a chargesheet in the case beyond the stipulated time meant she was eligible for "default bail".

"The default bail application was moved before the magistrate under whose jurisdiction the alleged crime was committed. The chargesheet has not been submitted by the state within 90 days. So default bail has been granted. We had moved the default bail plea on May 26 and again on May 29 when the court told us the earlier mail IDs had been disabled. A physical application was filed on June 2. The state filed the chargesheet on June 3," the lawyer said.

While the state tried to argue that they were entitled to an extension in the time allotted, the court hearing this aspect of the case gave an order favourable to Ms Leona. The process is on to release her.

The arrest of Ms Leona during a rally against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA in Bengaluru had led to a debate on the use of sedition charges.

The woman on a Facebook post had also said "zindabad" to many countries including India and Pakistan. She did also try to chant "Hindustan zindabad", but was soon silenced and whisked away. She was accused of sedition, causing enmity between communities and causing deliberate mischief.

Bengaluru, Mar 24: Bengaluru police registered an FIR against a 23 year-old woman who, while in home quarantine, visited supermarket despite having clear instructions to stay at home.

The Vijayanagar police said that the woman, a resident of Vijayanagar, had returned to the City on March 22 after a visit to Dubai."The city police had visited her house and stamped her for home quarantine and instructed her to stay at home but she visited Reliance Fresh on Monday.

We received information about it and the footage. Following this, we registered an FIR against her under section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life). We traced her and warned her to stay at home. We are also consulting senior officers and health officers on whether we have to send her to the government quarantine Centre or not,"the police said.

Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Rao strictly warned the people who are home quarantined to stay at home in public interest. If they were found in public places they will be picked up, arrested and sent to government quarantine."Please log in to get detailed story.