Police crack the whip against shops selling essentials at high price

A special team constituted by the Tiruchi Rural Police has been conducting surprise raids across the district against grocery shops found selling essential items at exorbitant prices during the

current lockdown.

The team has also been checking medical shops in the district which were selling masks at high price making use of the lockdown.

Based on secret information that essential items such as dhal and edible oil were being sold at exorbitant prices at a time when prohibitory orders were in place to check the spread of COVID-19, the district police authorities constituted a special police team comprising of Tiruchi Rural Police and personnel attached with the Civil Supplies CID of the State Police.

The team has been carrying out intensive raids since April 18 in various parts of the district. Up to April 30, the team found that 105 grocery shops had sold dhal and edible oil at high prices, while 33 medical shops were found selling masks at high price. The team has booked a total number of 138 cases against such shops. The special team was continuing the raids in the district, a police press release said.