Sunday curfew brings Karnataka to a standstill

Bengaluru: Roads wore a deserted look and shops remained shut during the second Sunday curfew to help fight COVID-19, bringing Karnataka to a virtual standstill.

Most vehicles stayed off roads today including city buses, autorickshaws, cars and two-wheelers with only essential activities permitted.

Policemen on duty were seen enforcing the curfew in a strict manner.

While a majority of people abided by the curfew order and remained indoors, there were instances of violations too.

The policemen were seen questioning the violators.

In Bengaluru, police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao had appealed to the people on Saturday to abide by the curfew and had also warned violators.

“Curfew will prevail in Bangalore City Commissionerate from 8 pm today to 5 am on Monday. Requesting all Bangalureans to cooperate and stay home. This is in public interest. Those moving without reason will be dealt with legally,” Rao had tweeted yesterday.

In Yashwanthapur in the city during the curfew, a man was allegedly found travelling in an autorickshaw with a ”institutional quarantine” stamp on his hand, police sources said.

They also said he was detained for questioning.

At a few places such as Malleswaram, BTM Layout and Koramangala, police penalised violators.

The state had announced a total lockdown on Sundays starting July 5 in view of the spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the state.