BHAIRAHAWA: As many as 36 persons have been arrested for violating rules following the government decision to impose nationwide lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19 which causes respiratory illness due to coronavirus.

According to Province 5 Police Office Spokesperson and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Navaraj Pokhrel, in the first day of the lockdown, police arrested 36 persons and seized 847 vehicles for defying lockdown orders from assorted locations in the province.

He further said police will release them after taking necessary actions as per prevailing laws. However, police declined to identify the arrestees as both the Nepali and Indian nationals were arrested for the same.

The government made the decision to enforce lockdown for a week in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 after a 19-year-old female tested positive for the virus.