Karnataka witnesses chaos on the first day of its two-week lockdown

Karnataka's first day of two-week lockdown on Monday was witness to people agitating over the tough rules, several instances of police adopting crude policing tactics to tame erring people and finally even police were forced to give-up caning and started appealing people with folded hands not to flout lockdown rules.

Karnataka police adopted crude policing methods -- like mild caning, forcing people to do sit-ups, making people sit or stand under hot sun during noon so on and so forth. Some of the policemen even administered oath to errant people who violated lockdown rules.

However, in Yadgiri district, almost rural folks from 10 villages gathered and celebrated local deity's fest, flouting all Covid norms with police staring blankly at them and could do nothing about it except in the last filing a complaint against those participated.

Finally in one rare case, a police Inspector in Davangere was seen appealing with his eyes welled up to chaotic crowd with folded hands saying he would not be able to beat up people anymore as at least now people should behave to protect themselves. "How much can we thrash to our own people? Our men are already tired of Corona duty for the last one year. This is one of the longest duties on-field ever the police has been involved. There is no respite, fatigue is set in. We policemen are praying that somehow this Corona should end," he said on a local news channel.

All across the state, the first day of the lockdown witnessed chaotic scenes including the capital Bengaluru. In most cases police tried to enforce it without applying mind or using discretion, leading to an explosion of protests from across the state.

In one such incident, on Mysuru Road on the outskirts of Bengaluru hundreds were stranded who were heading to Sirirangapattana in Mandya district where many Hindus go to immerse ashes and perform last rites and citing rules police prevented and sent back many to Bengaluru.

While in Koppal district, a 7-month old pregnant woman had to walk for about 8 km to meet her doctor for a check-up due to lockdown rules and ban on vehicle movement had forced her to take this step.

Apart from police stopping and resorting to caning, they also abused and seized thousands of vehicles across the state claiming the lockdown guidelines issued by the state government had banned the usage of vehicles.

According to them, people are asked to go only on foot to buy essentials. In most of Karnataka, where the people have to travel 1 km to 15 km to buy daily essentials, this order met with protests.

Karnataka has clamped a complete lockdown until May 24, to comprise the huge unfold of Covid-19 throughout the state from Monday. People are allowed to step out solely to purchase important issues between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.