CHENNAI: These are testing times and the 21-day lockdown will get to the best of us. Difficult as it may be, all of us will have to stay indoors in order to break the chain to have a fighting chance against the virus. But it’s not so simple and we will have to step out to buy essentials and will be confronted by the police personnel manning the roads. But hey! Spare a thought for the men in khakis as they are trying their best, maybe with a heavy hand sometimes as a few people found out in the city on Thursday.
“I had milk packets and vegetables tumbling out of my bag.
Policemen stopped me and said they will file a case. They accused me of roaming around for fun. I terrified of going out again,” said Srini Swaminathan, a resident of Adambakkam, who has to take care of two elderly parents at home. People were given an earful, and sometimes even hit for stepping out to buy essentials. Two days ago, near Parry’s corner, a doctor said he was hit on his arm with a lathi and was allowed to go only after he explained who he was. In other areas, helpers who look after terminally ill and differently-abled patients couldn’t reach the patients’ house as they were stopped by police personnel.
“My neighbour’s mother suffers from Parkinson's and her caretaker of four years couldn’t come to her house today. Many patients who need to go for cancer treatment and dialysis have no mode of transport to step out and are stuck,” said David Manohar, a civic activist. Though ration shops and gas agencies come under essential services, those working in the outlets have complained of police harassment. Three sales assistants working at rations shops in Tambaram, and Keelkatalai were fined for trying to reach their workplace.
“When I was going from Tambaram to Keelkatalai near Gurukulam signal, I was asked to pay `100 as fine for stepping out. Even after I showed them my ID card, they insisted that I pay up. Similarly, my colleague was also asked to pay `500 near Peerkankaranai signal. One colleague in Coimbatore was beaten up even before he could show them his ID. He was mentally disturbed after this and struggles to go to work,” said Subhash V, a sales assistant at a TUCS ration shop. There were also reports of private water tankers being stopped and the drivers beaten up on OMR. Similarly, people who manage sewage and water treatment staff were stopped by police personnel.
“Sewage and water treatment plants in our apartments can be operated only by certain technical
staff. But they are unable to come from their houses as police do not allow them to commute. We have given the staff a letter explaining this. But the police aren’t ready to even read it. One staff from
Kannagi Nagar wasn’t allowed to come in his two-wheeler to the apartment today,” said Prabha Koda, a resident of Shollingnallur.“Chennai police have not been advised to hit people.
We have told them to warn those roaming on streets without any purpose. If there are cases where people were harassed, we will definitely look into it,” said a senior police officer. Official sources said that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has advised district Collectors during a meeting on Thursday to ensure that the police personnel does not behave rudely with the general public who are out to buy essentials.
What social distancing?
Despite warnings, people visiting grocery stores failed to follow social distancing norms. While a few shopkeepers made proper arrangements, some others were crowded with people jostling against one another. A legwork at one such shops by TNIE found the shopkeeper without a mask. He even failed to cover his mouth as he coughed while handling vegetables. In another place, a shopkeeper touched his tongue to wet his finger to separate carry bags. “We found people barging into shops in huge numbers. That’s when we had to use force,” said R Velraj, a Sub Inspector of police. Health department had warned that community spreading is at high risk in places like these since people stand side-by-side brushing against one another. However, in a few areas, policemen were seen asking grocery shops to shut.
No newspapers
Several parts of the city woke up to no newspapers on Thursday. Delivery boys and agents were allegedly beaten up near Adyar Signal junction, Chrompet and Kodambakkam. On Wednesday, five water tankers were also stopped from reaching a hospital in Perungudi, residents said.