India's 1.3 billion people head into lockdown

3/25/2020

With just hours' notice, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a three-week lockdown of the country's 1.3 billion population, sending people scrambling to prepare for 21 days with limited access to services. He acknowledged the lockdown would be "very difficult time" for those in poverty. Many laborers have started long treks home — on foot. 

But the government's directives have been confusing. Breaking the lockdown could lead to a year in prison. And though essential services, such as grocery stores, are allowed to remain open, police have reportedly violently cracked down on seemingly sanctioned businesses. India's health system ranks poorly, and an outbreak of coronavirus in densely popluated slums could prove devastating.   

More: India’s coronavirus lockdown and its looming crisis, explained

And: Sanitary workers risk their lives despite spread of coronavirus