Illegal gambling activities and hookah parties organised by well-knit groups amid the ongoing lockdown, not giving two hoots for the social-distancing norms, have emerged as the key reasons behind turning Rajpura into Punjab’s new Covid-19 hotspot.

As many as 18 residents tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday alone.

The town, located 26km from the Patiala district headquarters, has reported 30 positive cases so far, with the health department on Thursday collecting 35 more samples from the ‘containment zones’.

“Most of the 18 persons found positive yesterday are contacts of each other. Many of the men are believed to have met at gambling parties recently,” an official said.

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Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu said, “It came to the fore during investigation that they held frequent get-togethers on a vacant plot near Anaj Mandi. Many residents of the locality confirmed that a group of men would remain there for hours.”

The infection spread after a group of 5-6 men involved in illegal activities like gambling continued to hold get-togethers and arranged liquor and hookah parties on multiple occasions even after the lockdown came into force, another official said.

Police have booked Krishan Kumar and Balraj, who tested positive for the coronavirus a day before, for allegedly endangering the life of fellow residents by violating curfew restrictions. The two travelled outstation before contracting the infection early this week, the SSP added.

A case was registered against them under Sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease endangering life), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule) and 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Disaster Management Act.

With this, the district’s tally has risen to 49 cases, of which 47 have been reported in the past one week only.

Town declared a buffer zone

In a tweet, Punjab special chief secretary KBS Sidhu said Rajpura town was notified as a ‘buffer zone’ by the district administration.

“Movement from Rajpura to Patiala has been restricted. The result of 40 samples taken from the town on Thursday will come on Friday,” Sidhu tweeted.