By Anita Pereira
If there's anything that spreads faster than the Coronavirus, it's the rumours associated. And, Colaba is no exception. Of late, the rumour doing the rounds is despite the lockdown orders by the civic authority and strict enforcement by Mumbai Police, people have been gathering in large numbers ‘Thousands’ at the Gateway of India and opposite the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. “
Police ke aankhon ke saamne, hazaaron log jama hote hai yahan par aur koi kuch nahin karta,” spewed one Chacha Ali as he sat outside a Cycle Rental Shop in Colaba. He was speaking before a motley crowd of uneducated workers who sat, in morbid fear triggered by the rumours associated with COVID-19, hearing Chacha speak. And, within moments, the rumour spread like Chinese whispers.
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| The deserted Gateway of India stretch on 21 March 2020 a day before the scheduled Janta Curfew |
Maharashtra, incidentally, has the highest number of Coronavirus cases in the country. The state government has undertaken a series of strict measures in order to contain the spread, particularly in Mumbai. And, the Mumbai Police has, in a commendable manner, been working actively to ensure the lockdown is enforced in the city. They have been highly responsive on social media by responding to citizens’ complaints of crowd gathering and other violations of the lockdown with immediate effect.
The rumour appears, prima facie, false and motivated. So,
The Draft Colaba undertook a spot investigation and sent a scribe with a photographer to the spot to learn that the rumour was, indeed, baseless and fake. The entire stretch from Radio Club till The Gateway of India and The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel stood deserted as a few cops ensured that the zone remained clear of pedestrians and tourists.
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| Policemen manning the stretch, warding off tourists and pedestrians from the zone |
The Gateway of India that symbolises Mumbai and is perennially occupied with thousands of tourists, domestic and international, today witnesses an eerie silence. It’s time, the Mumbai Police act on rumour-mongers, apprehend them and proceed legally against them by applying respective sections of the IPC and Bombay Police Act or through preventive powers vested in them. Residents are requested to double check the authenticity of rumours with the local police before acting upon them.
