Confusion prevailed in Anantapur city with regard to opening of wine shops outside the containment areas (red zones) from Monday. Those who queued up in front of the government outlets saw a ray of hope when many of them opened in the buffer zone outside the red zone area.
Their joy, however, was short-lived as the police reached there and got the shops closed them down even before the first bottle could be sold. The disappointed liquor consumers made their way to nearby towns and mandal headquarters to get their quota.
Anantapur Prohibition and Excise Inspector Swarnalatha told media persons that since all the shops within the municipal limits of the city fell in the containment zone, shops would not be allowed to function till May 17, as per the instructions received by them from higher officials. District Collector Gandham Chandrudu ordered closure of all wine shops in Anantapur city and Hindupur town as both were in the red zone areas.
On the Bellary Bypass Road in the city, a large queue was witnessed, but many of them rushed to Nayanapalli Cross on Anantapur to Tadipatri Road once the shop was not allowed to be opened.
