A clash between two groups was witnessed in front of a wine shop, on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, as the people jostled with each other to queue up to buy liquor in Mandya on Monday.
There was commotion, when people started pushing and shoving in the queue, after the liquor shop opened for business. One of them tried to attack the other with a machette. The police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
The police resorted to mild caning near a wine shop on 100 ft road, when there was a mad rush to buy liquor. No social distancing was maintained at several places.
Due to the commotion, Excise Commissioner Shivakumar directed to close the shop at 5 pm. In all, 100 wine shops and 34 MSIL shops were opened for business on Monday.
In all, 158 shops were opened and did brisk business in Hassan district. The customers braved the scorching sun and were drenched in rain by evening, to buy liquor.
With the state government's permission to open wine shops, a large number of people thronged them in Hassan city and also in rural areas. The authorities suspended the licenses of around 22 shops that did not follow the guidelines.
The shopkeepers had erected barricades and markings were made for customers to stand in a queue. But, no social distancing was maintained.
Many, were waiting from early morning and rushed to buy, as soon as the shops opened. The police had to use mild caning to streamline the crowd.
Even though masks were made mandatory, many were without masks. Sanitisers were missing at several shops.
A kilometre long queue was seen at several wine shops in the city. Youths, senior citizens and women were seen in queues.