Bengaluru, Jan 7: Ahead of the weekend curfew, which will come into effect from Friday at 8 pm to Monday 5 am, Karnataka Excise Minister K Gopalaiah said there will be no sale of liquor for two days starting from tonight across the state.

"It has been decided that there will not be any sale of liquor during the weekend curfew. I have directed the officials to issue an order to this effect," Gopalaiah told reporters.

He said there is spike in cases in the state, especially in Bengaluru. Hence, it has been decided not to open the liquor shops.

Gopalaiah said the liquor shop owners had given a representation to allow them to run their shops but due to rising COVID cases, their plea was not considered.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant appealed to people not to venture out unnecessarily.

"The weekend curfew will come into effect from 8 pm tonight. Please do not go to various places unnecessarily and cooperate with the police for your own safety," Pant told reporters.

He said only a set of activities is permitted including essential and medical services.

"Those who want to go to the hospital have to furnish supporting documents. Those travelling should also possess tickets and related papers," the police commissioner said.

He added that the police would not issue any passes for people to travel within the city.

Pant warned that those violating the COVID-19 norms will face action under the Natural Disaster Management Act (NDMA). The violators will be detained and their vehicles will be seized.

The Karnataka government issued a set of prohibitory orders including weekend and night curfews for two weeks to check the rising COVID cases.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Imphal (PTI): Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam on Tuesday said two persons were killed and five others injured in firing after a mob stormed a CRPF camp in Bishnupur district.

A large number of youths and women held a protest against the killing of two children in a bomb attack by suspected militants in Moirang Tronglaobi area earlier in the day, he said.

The protesters stormed the CRPF camp near Gelmol, a few 100 metres from the bomb attack site, burnt vehicles and vandalised properties there, he said.

"I had urged the protesters not to enter the CRPF camp and to allow security forces to focus on conducting an operation to apprehend those involved in the bomb attack," the minister said.

But the demonstrators did not pay heed to the appeal.

"They stormed the CRPF camp, burnt vehicles and vandalised portions of the camp, leading to firing by security personnel. They fired either in self-defence or in anger. Two persons, unfortunately, died in the firing, while five others sustained bullet injuries," the state home minister said.