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Published 17:32 IST, March 25th 2020

Indians adopt the Chalk and circle way to break the COVID-19 chain

On the first day of the pan-India lockdown, citizens across the nation were spotted practicing social distancing to break the Coronavirus chain

Reported by: Misha Bhatt
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After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days, people from across the nation have begun practicing social distancing among themselves, as a measure to break the chain of Coronavirus spread. 

Earlier in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh also took to his official Twitter handle and shared a few pictures where people were spotted standing in separate circles marked with chalk while collecting basic supplies from a store.

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Apart from Punjab, people from places like Noida, Bengaluru, and Gujarat also adopted a similar process, by marking circles with chalk on the lane outside grocery stores in the respective areas, to keep a safe distance between the customers. Meanwhile, in the union territory of Jammu-Kashmir, people who were caught violating the lockdown were made to sit in circles drawn to maintain social distance.

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PM Modi announces 21-day pan-India lockdown amid Coronavirus

Amid the rising Coronavirus cases in India, PM Modi, on Tuesday, announced a 21-day curfew throughout India starting at midnight on Tuesday. He said that 21 days were necessary for breaking the transmission cycle of the pandemic. The 21-day curfew applies to all states, districts, and villages - irrespective of whether they are currently under curfew or not. 

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"From midnight, across the country, there will be countrywide lockdown in India. There will be a complete restriction of leaving out from the residence. All districts, villages will be locked down. This is curfew only -a stricter curfew than Janta curfew. We have to bear economic consequences because of this. But to save every Indian's life at this time is my and the government's responsibility," said PM Modi. 

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(With inputs from ANI)

17:32 IST, March 25th 2020