Gujarat: Second wave dulls fear of corona among the lawless

SURAT: Fear of Covid seemed to have lost its sting among the criminal minded during the the second wave unlike in the first wave of the pandemic.
While there was considerable drop in the number of gambling and prohibition cases during lockdown and fear of killer virus during 2020 in the city, the number of cases this time around has gone back to 2019’s pre-Covid times.
Cocking a snook at social distancing norms, gambling activities never ceased in the city. Compared to 355 gambling cases in January to May 2019, police registered 390 cases this year for the same period. In these cases, 2,018 accused were arrested against 2,110 in 2019.
In case of bootlegging, spirits were literally high among the crafty bootleggers who innovated their ways to smuggle in liquor. In January to May 2019 police had registered 790 cases under prohibition Act for selling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), while in 2021 total 703 cases were registered. In the first five months of 2019, 1,001 bootleggers were arrested, while this year 966 persons were caught ferrying liquor illicitly.
Not only IMFL, even country liquor figures show a rise in the second wave. It should be noted that gambling and liquor dens are hubs that see large gatherings.
A booze party held in Man Darwaja tenement was believed to be the trigger of the first wave in the city, according to senior health officials.
Apart from the arrests for gambling and bootlegging, police fined 78,508 people for not wearing masks and collected Rs 7.85 crore penalty between April and May this year.
“The numbers itself shows that police took strict actions against all criminal activities. We ensured that people do not get involved in any activities that can spread infection,” said city police commissioner Ajay Tomar.
“Both gambling and liquor are addictions. The addicts would try to get it at any cost, even their life. Addicts have more liking for their addiction compared to their life,” said Rudresh Vyar, head of psychology department, MTB Arts College.