Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Mansa, May 18

Many villages in the region have started the age-old practice of ‘thikri pehra’ (community policing) to curb the movement of people in and out of villages in wake of rising Covid cases.

Alarmed over deaths in rural areas, local panchayats have sealed villages and started the ‘thikri pehra, disallowing entry of outsiders in villages in Bathinda and Mansa districts.

The tradition made a comeback after more than two decades — the communities guarded their villages in the aftermath of the terrorism and when the infamous ‘Kala Kachcha’ gang gave them sleepless nights years ago.

In order to prevent Covid from spreading in villages, rules have been strictly enforced through formation of WhatsApp groups of prominent people of the village.

“A team of four persons each guards the streets from 8 am to 2 pm. Another team does the same from 2 to 10 pm. The strength is half at night,” said Surinder Singh, a Mansa resident.

Mansa SSP Surender Lamba said ‘thikri pehras’ had been started in villages in public interest. Increasing vigilance in the villages was the need of the hour to save humanity, he added.

The SSP said poor patients could call helpline numbers 118 and 112 to get cooked food. The Punjab Police would deliver food to needy people at home.