BHOPAL: People swarmed the roads setting aside lockdown rules and Covid protocols during Eid on Friday. However, heavy police contingents were deployed at every checkpoint to check vehicular traffic in the Old City to prevent public movement. But, even after this, the police struggled to control the crowds.
DIG Irshad Wali monitored execution of the lockdown during the Eid festival. He boosted the morale of police team and visited many areas of the Old City and supervised the manner in which the traffic police were enforcing the lockdown.
Throughout the day, there was light traffic in the Old City but, by evening, it looked as if the police arrangements had collapsed the way the traffic came out onto the roads, especially at Kamla Park and at Boat Club.
Similarly, in the Moti Masjid area—where no one was allowed to visit the masjid for offering namaaz—a heavy police force was deployed to prevent people from going to the masjid in pandemic times. The clerics had also appealed to Muslims to celebrate Eid at home during these difficult times. Somwara Chowk, Sadar Manzil, saw the presence of a heavy police force for enforcement of the lockdown.
In the Royal Market area, Bhopal Talkies, people breached the barricading. However, the police succeeded in ensuring shutting down of business establishments on this occasion. Shops remained closed on Eid in the Old City. Along the entire stretch of Hamidia Road, shops were closed. At many checkpoints, people were seen arguing with police teams for permission to go ahead. But the police did not allow anyone to breach the lockdown.
