NEW DELHI: Accompanied by paramilitary forces, the Delhi Police marched in the bylanes of Delhi’s Jamia Nagar in the morning enforcing a complete lockdown in the area. The police officials were seen assuring the residents that there was no need to panic and stocking items as the supply was going to be regular. A policeman asked some youths standing on the roadside to leave. He said, “This is for your safety so stay inside your homes.”
A grocery shop owner, Mehmood, was heard telling customers that shop will remain open, and milk and other items will be available. While supplies in the area remained as normal, the grocery shops were open and vegetable hawkers, wearing masks and gloves, were doing the rounds. The customers were being frequently told to maintain distance by the security people. They were told to enter the shop or stand near the vendor only after the earlier buyer had left so as to avoid crowding.
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The protest site in Shaheen Bagh was also surrounded by police personnel, a day after it was cleared and residents were not allowed to move other than to buy basic essentials. “There has been police presence all over Shaheen Bagh. People who are trying to visit the protest site are not allowed. Only those stepping out to buy medicines, food or any other essential goods are being allowed,” Nadeem, one of the volunteers from Shaheen Bagh told this newspaper. He said only some of the medicine and grocery stores were open.
“We had agreed with the demand to vacate and were taking all precautionary measures to combat the spread of the virus but the police took advantage of the scenario and removed everything from the site,” he added.
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Despite authorities assuring people that essential supplies will not be affected, people rushed out to stock daily need goods. Many complained of long queues and inflated prices.
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