People catch 'hoarding bug' on lockdown fears over coronavirus outbreak

“It is a good idea to buy for a month. No one knows what will happen tomorrow — whether grocery will be available at all or at what prices they will be sold,” says Sumit Samaddar, a resident of South Kolkata.

Samaddar, who works for a cement firm, is one from the millions of households who thronged neighborhood kiranas and retail chains in the past few days to stock essential food items over fears that a lockdown might extend beyond 15 days if the COVID-19 crisis escalates. Even online grocery companies have seen a spike in orders.

These stores have reduced their