Hamlet shuts door to outsiders

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 13

Tired of witnessing a steady stream of city dwellers driving into the picturesque hamlet at odd hours amid the pandemic, Kukanet village in Hoshiarpur has barred the entry of outsiders.

The village shut its doors to outsiders a week ago by deputing 10 to 15 men on “thikri pehra” at the entry point. Today, the villagers turned away around 400 vehicles keen on a weekend getaway.

A jewel in the Shivalik hills, Kukanet has not reported a single Covid-19 case so far.

Amid the pandemic, Kukanet suddenly found itself buzzing with visitors, with rowdy and often-drunk city dwellers holding night parties and pitching tents for overnight stay. Besides polluting the stream, broken bottles littered by visitors have been causing injuries to locals.

A conflict last week was the tipping point when a group of boys, drunk and without masks, tried to snatch a mobile from a villager, leading to an altercation. The villagers allege the men misbehaved with policemen deputed at a checkpoint outside the village. Sarpanch Gurbachan Singh said: “Visitors are often without mask and seldom follow social distancing. We do not have Covid yet, but are scared. We don’t even have proper healthcare options here. Most visitors are from Delhi, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda and Tarn Taran.”

Hoshiarpur SSP Navjot Singh Mahal said: “We have been getting plaints about nuisance and littering. The police have been asked to sensitise people. Drinking is prohibited here and those littering will face action.”