Deserted roads as city pauses

By Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengalureans woke up to the first day of the weekend curfew on Saturday with most city residents preferring to stay indoors rather than venture into the streets and incur the wrath of cops. The state government had imposed the curbs in the wake of a rise in Covid-19 cases.

The police did their bit to discourage people from moving out without reason seizing 798 vehicles for flouting curfew norms. Home Minister Araga Jnanendra accompanied by Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Sandeep Patil went on city rounds to ensure the curfew protocol was followed. “Consider health your priority. We are still in the grip of the pandemic. We should not repeat the same mistakes we did during the second wave and allow the third wave to be disastrous,” the Home Minister said.

Meanwhile, the deserted roads proved to be a blessing for youngsters who took to playing cricket on them. But many people could be seen without masks. “There is no fear as people assume that Covid is just a fever,” a policeman said. People who are ignorant of the rules, are giving a hard time to the police, an official said.