Amid coronavirus pandemic fears, almost 200 medical shops were raided in Bengaluru city for allegedly selling masks and hand sanitisers at exorbitant prices, cashing in on soaring demand due to the outbreak. 

Not just masks and sanitiser, the police also booked cases against many pharmacies for selling medical essentials for two to three times over the MRP. 

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Coronavirus cure claims

According to reports,  Bengaluru crime branch deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Kuldeep Jain said, "On complaints from the public, we raided about 210 drug shops across the city on Saturday and stocks seized for selling masks and sanitisers at twice or thrice the retail price."

"Though we have not come across any fake unit making them, in the city or state, we have seized about 250 bottles of sanitisers, suspected to be fake from a storage place. We sent the bottles to the lab for tests to check if they are genuine for use," said Jain.

5 shops shut for selling sanitiser liquid bottles illegally

Coronavirus in India
Coronavirus in India

Five shops across the city were also shut for selling the sanitiser liquid bottles illegally and at a high cost.

Kuldeep Jain further added, "A special drive has been initiated across the city to check and regulate the supply of masks and sanitisers to retailers, which have been selling them at higher rates due to their shortage amid rising demand."

"Most masks and sanitisers being sold in the city are from units outside Karnataka but available through their dealer network. No facility yet to make them in the state in the organised sector," a health official said in an interview. 

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