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As India was battling the onset of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi on March 24, 2020 announced a complete lockdown of the country for 21 days in an unprecedented, drastic, measure to try and halt the spread of coronavirus.
The Centre said all road, rail and air services would remain suspended during this period, which was extended again and again.
This lockdown -- enforced nationwide with just four hours notice to India's 1.30 billion people -- resulted in a humanitarian crisis which India has not seen in recent times.
Millions and millions and millions of Indians lost their jobs as millions travelled by foot or whatever means of transport they could find to reach their native villages.
Scores of people lost their lives when they were crushed by moving trains or trucks.
In the first of a year-end series of observations on 2020, Dominic Xavier is still shocked by the nightmare that the lockdown wrought on India.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com