Ehsan Fazili/Srinagar

The government has issued an alert against people flocking to the city’s famous bakery shops on the Eid-ul-Fitr as nine employee in one of the bakeries have tested Covid-positive in the RTPCR test.

As Kashmiris celebrate a subdued Eid amidst friends and relatives falling sick and reports of deaths due to Covid-19 coming in, the capital city looks desolate as people stayed home and no namaz congregations were held anywhere.

Taking to social media, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Assad, appealed to the public to ‘stay indoors’ as “Coronavirus has unique art of locating the right person.”

He had earlier raised objections to people rushing to the couple of highend bakery shops for buying items for eating and gifting to others. On the Twitter he said, that “DDMA (District Disaster Management Authority) headed by him had asked for testing of all bakery workers.

In another post on Twitter he asked people not to rush to the city’s elite bakery shops for buying items for gifting to others on the occasion. He said, “Out of 99 lifted samples, 8 have been tested positive on RTPCR.; Mostly from renowned Bakery shops."

Customers thronged the bakery shops to make quick and bulk purchases from a couple of the bakery, mutton and chicken shops.

Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam’s late night announced about Eid-ul-Fitr falling today caught many people somewhat unprepared thought there was not much to purchase from the market in view of the Covid restrictions

No congregational Eid prayers were held at Eidgahs, Jamia Masjids and shrines in view of the pandemic. However, there have been reports of small gatherings in some areas offering special Eid prayers this morning.

However, the social media sites, Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp are flooded with appeals from different sections of society and individuals to strictly follow Covid protocol to check the increasing numbers.

“We can sacrifice extravaganza this Eid just for the suffering humanity to exhibit the real meaning of fasting”, said a Shahawaz Shah, a government official on  his personal Facebook page.

“More Eids will come provided we care for our life. Let us not commit suicide this time. Life is precious, say no to Eid shopping", said Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a RTI activist.

“You want bakery, mutton or oxygen…,“ asked poet Imdad Saqi on Facebook, thereby warning fellow citizens against venturing out for buying bakery and other items on the festival day.

“Can’t Éid be celebrated without bakery?” asked Prof Iqbal Nazki, a former University Professor on Facebook.  This candid question attracted positive responses and replies from a number of people at large.

Yes, we can. I remember one Eid we had lunch with only potatoes. No mutton, no bakery on Eid is easy to achieve,” replied Abdullah Charoo, former college Principal.

“Bakery is not essential service. Huge rush at bakery shops makes a mockery of SOPs and lockdown,” respondeded Shafiq Ahmed Punjabi.

In the meanwhile, Eid is also being celebrated in Kerala and Allahabad today while in rest of the country, the festival falls tomorrow.