(Screengrab from a video of the Siddalingeshwara fair.)

On a day when Karnataka registered its highest daily spike in the number of new coronavirus cases, thousands came out to participate in a religious procession in Kalaburagi district and openly defied the nationwide lockdown.

These people were participating in the Siddalingeshwara fair.

Videos from the fair show thousands of people pulling a chariot as part of the festivities with complete disregard for social distancing norms. The participants were seen standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they pulled the towering chariot with hundreds looking on.

The fair was organised in Chittapur taluk of Kalaburagi district. The district police have registered a case in the matter.

In this regard a case has already been registered https://t.co/eBRJwv7ccI — KALABURAGI DISTRICT POLICE (@KlbDistPolice) April 16, 2020

Incidentally, Kalaburagi is the same district where India's first Covid-19 related death took place in early March.

Meanwhile, the total number of Covid-19 cases in Karnataka touched 315 on Thursday. This includes 82 people who have recovered and 13 who have died in the state so far.

On April 10, news agency ANI reported that a BJP MLA from Turuvekere M Jayaram celebrated his birthday with villagers in Gubbi taluk, Tumkur, even though nationwide lockdown was on.

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