N95 mask stocks disappear in Kolkata, police cracks down on hoarders

Two days after people of Kolkata complained of non-availability of the N95 masks in the city, Kolkata Police’s Enforcement Branch visited the medicine markets to crack down on the hoarders.

On Friday and Saturday, officers of Kolkata Police’s Enforcement Branch visited the medicine markets and raided the chemist shops besides carrying out searches to find whether any shopkeeper was found holding on to the stocks.

However, senior officials of Kolkata Police highlighted that the stocks of N95 masks were short in supply and none in the city was found holding on the stock.

“During raids the availability of the masks, prices of both disposable and reusable masks were checked. There are some signs of shortage of masks in the market. Bills of purchase were checked too.  The owners or the proprietors of the medicine stores were contacted and they were asked to sell the masks in reasonable prices. Raids would be continued. All the traders were directed to sell those masks in reasonable prices and not to take excessive rate by hoarding the same. We will maintain sharp vigil on the medicine shops,” said a senior official of Enforcement Branch, Kolkata Police.

On Friday, the raids were conducted at Mehta Building, Bagri Market. A day ago, searches were conducted at Chittaranjan Avenue, College Street, vicinity of RG Kar Hospital and SSKM hospital.

A day ago, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while chairing a high level meeting on Coronavirus, directed police and other agencies to ensure that traders do not hoard masks leading to a panic and rise in prices of the same.