Even as the entire country diligently followed PM Modi’s directive of observing complete lockdown to tame the Wuhan coronavirus, there were some who continued to operate unabatedly, in flagrant violation of the nationwide lockdown restrictions. Powerlooms in the Maharashtrian town of Malegaon carried on its operations unhampered amidst the coronavirus lockdown in the country, said a report broadcasted on ABP Majha.

As per the report, despite the nationwide lockdown called upon by PM Modi, power-looms in Ramzanpura neighbourhood of Malegaon operated unhindered. When police officials reached a functioning power-loom in Ramzanpura, the gates and windows were closed but the continuous rumbling of the machines inside the power-loom made the officials suspicious that something is going on in the midst of curfew in the town. When enquired, police found that the power-loom was operational with more than 10 employees present at the facility.

In addition, the police officials also found that a restaurant adjoining the power-loom was also operating covertly and meals were being prepared for the employees working at the facility. When the police officials accosted the workers and questioned about the functioning of power-loom amidst curfew, the workers claimed that the power-loom had remained operational daily for 3 hours from 9AM to 12PM.

However, the report says that the duty-bound police officials who went to the power-loom to act against the workers are now facing the wrath of the administration for taking action against the employees and the power-looms that breached the lockdown restrictions and continued running their operations. It is now alleged that the action against the police officials is initiated at the behest of Malegaon MLA Mufti Mohammad Ismail of NCP who is known to have close relations with the power-looms owner.