Panic in Kanpur with salt crisis rumours

KANPUR: Amid severe crisis of lower currency notes, rumours of shortage of salt gripped the city on late Friday evening.

Within few hours of the rumour, people thronged the

grocery stores

to buy the most common item of the kitchen.

Large numbers of people were seen at

Collectorganj market

, the biggest wholesale market of the city, where shopkeepers refused to give them salt. This created panic among the people and soon the police had to be called to handle the situation.

Following an incident of heated arguments between shopkeepers and the people followed by a scuffle, the police resorted to canecharge to disperse the mob in the grain market area.

"My mother asked me to buy two packets of salt as it would not be available in the market in coming days. I thought she was playing prank with me but when I went to the Collectorganj market, I noticed that all shops were closed and police force was present there. Later, I was informed by someone that shops have been closed following rumours that led to clash between shopkeepers and the people" said Sunil Kumar.

Almost similar was the scene at at Shivala Market where shortage of salt was reported from all shops.

One Danish

Ansari

, a resident of Parade, went to

Shiwala Market

to but salt but returned empty handed as he could not find even a single packet from any of the shops.

Talking to TOI, he said, "After hearing the news regarding shortage of salt and that it will be sold up to Rs 500 per kg in coming days, I went to Shiwala market to buy it but unfortunately there was not a single packet of salt available in the market", he added.

Senior police officials said that they were keeping an eye on the situation and warned that strict action would be taken against rumour mongers.

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