Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech on Tuesday, 24 March, announcing a 21-day lockdown across India, may have ended up causing more panic and, in some areas, led to the opposite of what he was trying to achieve.
During his address, PM Modi told the people of India to “stay indoors” and “draw a Lakshman Rekha outside their doorstep”. He further said that no one will be allowed to go outside.
The PM began his speech at 8 PM on 24 March and said that the curfew would begin midnight onwards.
The prospect of not being allowed to step outside their homes for three weeks caused a great deal of panic and across India, there were reports of people queuing outside grocery stores, medical stores and ATMs.
A Twitter user posted this video from Thane.