Coronavirus: Once Kapil Dev’s training ground, now a ‘temporary jail’

Chandigarh’s iconic cricket ground was, on Tuesday, turned into a ‘temporary jail’ to detain violators of the curfew imposed to fight the Covid-19 outbreak.

A pitch, where the likes of Kapil Dev, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh grew up and honed their skills, ground is located in sector 16. Spread over 15.32 acres, the stadium has a capacity to hold more than 20,000 people.

"We have converted the cricket stadium in Sector 16 and the sports complex in Manimajra into a temporary jail to house those who are found violating curfew orders," a government functionary was quoted as saying by IANS.

Also read: Coronavirus: Sourav Ganguly offers Eden Gardens for quarantine facilities

For violation of curfew norms, a first information report (FIR) will be registered under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the violator, according to the police.

The city, like every other major city in India, has been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The cases spiked to seven yesterday. Punjab Governor-cum-Administrator of Chandigarh, V.P. Singh Badnore, on Monday announced an indefinite curfew as a precaution in the city, starting midnight.

The Director General of Police has been asked to enforce the curfew without any relaxation whatsoever.

Earlier, BCCI chief and former India captain Sourav Ganguly had offered the indoor facilities of the Eden Gardens to the West Bengal government for turning it into a quarantine centre. Howrah’s Dumurjala stadium was also converted into a 150-bed quarantine centre overnight on the behest of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Also read: Coronavirus: How a sports stadium in Howrah converted into a quarantine centre overnight