On Monday, Police arrested three people distributing Rs. 20 million in cash to residents on Udupidi Wadiriyan Road in Jaffna for violating quarantine protocols.
One of the men was sent Rs. 20 million in remittance from overseas, by his son with instructions to distribute Rs. 2000 each to families in need.
When the elderly man began distributing the money along with two other members of the family, more than 2,000 Jaffna residents gathered and formed a long queue to collect money consequently disregarding the quarantine curfew. This comes amidst reports of families across the North-East not recieving promise aid.
In August, villagers of Uppukulam, Mannar, reported that they had been left without their state-designated aid and that such aid was only provided to a few favoured personnel instead. In July, Mannar district council member, Anthonyamma Sritharan, blasted the government’s mismanagement of aid noting that families were pushed to the brink of starvation as they were receiving half of their promised rations, and also receiving the items up to 10-12 days into their quarantine period.
Police allege most of the crowd was not wearing face masks or following social distancing.
The three men were arrested and taken to the police station for inciting a large gathering in violation of the enforced curfew.
Reportedly, 500 people received Rs. 2000 each before Police shut down the gathering.
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