A trader in Varanasi was caught on the wrong foot on Sunday when district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma and SSP Prabhakar Chaudhary went to a shop in Chetganj area to buy essential commodities, posing as a commoner.
The shopkeeper overcharged for the goods purchased and the two officers immediately ordered action against the erring seller.
The district magistrate warned that anyone found overcharging for essential commodities would face stern action.
Punjab has reported the second death due to coronavirus, officials said on Monday. He was in a close contact with the state's lone casualty Baldev Singh and both were 'granthis'.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday massively reduced the key lending rates in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Centre on Thursday announced the first instalment of a fiscal relief package, worth Rs 170,000 crore, to protect the weaker sections of the society from the economic fallout of Covid-19.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Thursday announced immediate distribution of 10 lakh packets of dry ration to daily wagers and unorganised labourers to help them during the curfew because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Urging the police personnel to exercise maximum restraint in the difficult situation, the Chief Minister asked them to find more compassionate ways of handling curfew violations, especially in cases of individuals found moving out for essentials.
He said the prisoners would be released on parole for six weeks and undertrial prisoners on interim bail for six weeks.