CHENNAI: The second day of sector-wise vehicle checking saw hundreds of vehicles on the road, even after 10 am on Wednesday. This despite repeated warnings from police and government to the city residents not to step out of their houses needlessly.
“Some say they are going to a nearby medical shop, some others say they are going to buy food or their house is just two streets away. How can we verify these claims?” asks K Sundaramoorthy, a personnel from Aminjikarai police station.
No respite yet
While the city was brought under sector-wise vehicle checking on Tuesday, hundreds of vehicles were seen at each junction on Wednesday. “There was not a significant drop in the number of vehicles even after 10 am. The streets resembled that during a weekend, ” said a sub inspector here.
A few police personnel said that several youth and even entire families were roaming around the city to meet friends and relatives as if everything was normal. A few families, when stopped, started arguing with constables on the spot and an inspector had to reach the spot, a policeman said.
Speaking to Express, a senior police officer said that many believe they can escape with an excuse. “The personnel too are afraid of the infection. While we manage to seize the vehicles and book passengers, it is in the hands of the public to understand that they are endangering their families as well as the personnel,” added the officer.
Misplaced bravado
“One man proclaimed that this was a family matter and that none can stop him and the officer had no other way but to fine him,” an Armed Reserve constable says