After the video of Sarojini Market crowding in mad frenzy went viral, the Delhi HC took note of the video and called it ‘frightening’. Earlier, video of a stampede like situation with scores of Delhi citizens hoarding in the lively Sarojini Market had gone viral. Amid the rising COVID-19 cases in India, and the increasing number of patients detected with Omicron variant of the virus, the video was almost panic inducing to a lot of netizens. As expected, Twitteratis went ahead and slammed the nonchalance observed by the Delhi citizens amid the growing tensions regarding the ongoing COVID-19 situation in India.

Contents hide
1. Background
2. The Facts of the Matter
3. “People Are Flowing Like River”: Delhi HC
4. “If Loss of Life Is Reported…”: Delhi HC before Giving Directions

Background

On December 23, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the ongoing COVID-19 situation in India. He directed the Centre to work in association with the state governments and asked them to be ‘satark’ and ‘savdhan’ (alert and cautious). The reason for the review meeting was simple enough. Slowly, India is registering another surge in daily COVID-19 cases in India. On Friday, India reported 6,650 new COVID-19 cases with the overall caseload clocking at 77,516. The situations even more alarming as the Omicron variant is slowly making its presence known in India.

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The Facts of the Matter

As daily active cases in India continue rising in tandem with the Omicron variant, the Sarojini Market became a small epicenter of the virus. The market showed a hoard of shoppers – most without any masks and not following any social distancing – get together in a stampede like situation.

Videos of the crowding made its way on the social media, with netizens frowning over the crowding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking a note of the situation, the Delhi High Court today issued a statement, claiming the situation in Delhi to be frightening.

In the video gone viral, scores of shoppers can be seen crowding together around shops. The video was reportedly taken on earlier last Sunday. The video showed people with no masks and obviously – maintain no social distancing, almost falling over each other. As the crowd further surged, people were seen congested at one place, unable to move much.

The video evoked harsh response from netizens who called out how the Delhi citizens have thrown caution out of the window.

Watch the Video Here:

Netizens React to Delhi Citizens Flouting COVID-19 Safety Protocols

“People Are Flowing Like River”: Delhi HC

The Delhi HC today took note of the incident and expressed its concerns. The matter was taken into cognizance by Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh. “Covid or no covid, the situation is errie. There can be a stampede where hundreds of people can die. And don’t say that this is state managed. Hundreds of people are pushing each other and there is no control that people have on each other. People are just flowing like a river,” Justice Sanghi said, as quoted by LiveLaw.

“If Loss of Life Is Reported…”: Delhi HC before Giving Directions

The court further rapped the authorities responsible for maintaining the situation and claimed that if a loss of life is reported due to COVID or stampede, the authorities “will be personally liable for that”.

Delhi HC further directed the authorities to set up polls and chains that mark the floors abiding the social distancing protocol in those areas where the shopkeepers may want to carry their businesses.