Tirupati: Police face tough task to disperse people

Tirupati: Police are finding it difficult to stop people coming on to the roads in large numbers despite imposition of lockdown and Section 144 in city on Tuesday. With no exception, dozens of men, women, boys and girls are seen moving on the vehicles everywhere in the pilgrim city right from the morning to evening much to the discomfiture of the police who are posted at all junctions and also patrolling round the clock.

Barricades were also placed across most of the roads and junctions in the city to prevent the entry of people. But people started coming through narrow lanes bypassing thebarricades.

The unchecked movement of people on the vehicles forced the police to take tough stand with the people in some places

where they even seized the vehicles for some time. In some instance, police caned the loitering youth.

Sources said that, police resolved to be more tough in the coming days as there was no let up on the movement of public despite the lockdown and closing the shops, business establishments, hotels, malls, offices and also public and private transport.

Municipal Commissioner PS Girisha, MLA Bhuamana Karunakar Reddy were seen monitoring the situation and asking the people to go back to homes and cooperate for total lockdown.