Many shopkeepers in Mangaluru and Udupi were caught off-guard by the sudden action of officials on Thursday to close down all non-essential shops. A team of officials from Mangaluru City Corporation visited the Central Market area along with police in the afternoon and began asking shopkeepers dealing with mobile phones, cloth, bicycles and other non-essential items to close down.
When traders in the Central Market building questioned the officials, the latter said that they cannot do much as they have to comply with specific directions issued by the State government. When a bicycle trader took time to move his articles back into the shop and close it, a city corporation official directed his team members to take action for cancellation of trade licence. All shops in malls, excluding those dealing with groceries, were asked to close down.
In Udupi, officials went around the market area to make announcements asking shopkeepers to close down their establishments. When traders took time in acting on the announcement, officials threatened them with criminal action. Officials said that hotels and bakeries can only sell food items in parcels.
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