Migrant workers gathered in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh rushed to abandon social distancing norms in order to collect bananas – one for each – being distributed by the authorities. A video of the incident was posted on Twitter by journalist Ravi Nair. In the video, many migrant workers were seen gathered behind a gate, while a mask-clad person gave out one banana each to the workers from the other side.

The Allahabad District Magistrate later said that the incident did not take place at a quarantine centre but a transit centre where workers from Madhya Pradesh were resting. The authorities reportedly stopped the distribution of bananas when chaos ensued, and continued only after the workers were seated in buses.