Karwar: Pharmacies in the City and district downed their shutter following a call for closure of all medical shops given by Association of Chemists & Druggists to protest against Centre’s decision to allow online pharmacies to operate.

The protest was by and large successful with majority of the pharmacies shut.

As many as 312 medical shops reportedly downed their shutters in the district in support of the call.

In Karwar, apart from ‘Medi Plus’ and Appollo pharmacies, other medical shops were all closed.

The people were spared the worst due to functioning of these two shops. People thronged these two shops which functioned under police protection.

No hotel closure: However, the response to the call for closure given by the State Hoteliers Association did not find any taker in Karwar as all the hotels operated normally.

The call was given to protest against the implementation of Goods and Services Tax Act.