Mangaluru: Only shops selling essential commodities remained open as Saturday as Dakshina Kannada district observed weekend curfew on Saturday.

The shops were allowed to open till 2 pm. A few city, service buses and express buses between Mangaluru-Udupi too were plying on the road. It was business as usual for the streetside vendors. Mangaluru Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar said 18 check posts including inter-state border check posts had been set up to enforce weekend curfew.

Action will be initiated against those who loiterered without any valid reasons under the Epidemic Diseases Act and NDMA Act. Banks, post offices and other government offices remained open. Kukke Subrahmanya, Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala and Kateel Durgaparameshwari Temples remained closed.

Police were seen strictly checking all vehicles at the entry points to the district and Mangaluru on Friday night with the imposing of night curfew. A huge number of people had arrived at the District Wenlock Hospital to get the vaccine. Police had placed barricades at the various entry points in Mangaluru to check on the vehicles after the relaxation period ended.

KSRTC buses between Puttur and Mangaluru operated for every hour and buses between Puttur-Uppinangady, Puttur-Vittal, Puttur-Sullia operated for every 45 minutes due to lack of passengers. As there was restriction on entry of devotees to Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, the buses between Puttur-Subrahmanya, Puttur-Dharmasthala remained suspended. Owing to the weekend curfew, arecanut business at the APMC Yard in Puttur remained suspended.

RTPCR negative report

DK Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V has clarified that all those applicants from Kerala appearing for the Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) exams should mandatorily produce RTPCR negative certificate not older than 72 hours at the check post.