Coronavirus: Crowd loots mangoes worth thousands from Delhi street vendor amid lockdown, tweeps come to his rescue

In India, a video went viral yesterday, showing crowds looting crates of mangoes that belonged to a street vendor in Delhi. Reportedly, the vendor named Chhote lost mangoes worth Rs30,000 (Dh1,450), in what tweeps have called a "display of inhumanity".

At a time when business was already low due to the coronavirus pandemic, this came as a further blow to the street vendor.

The video shows people in Delhi’s Jagatpuri area, running towards the unattended mango crates, and stealing as many mangoes as they could. Some filled the mangoes up in helmets, while others carried as many as they could hold with two hands.

According to Indian news website ndtv.com, Chhote, the fruit-seller, said that the incident took place after a fight broke out in the neighbourhood.

Apparently, a group of people asked him to move his push cart from the area where the scuffle took place. While he was relocating his cart, he had left some crates unattanded. This is when passers by saw the crates and started making away with the mangoes.

Reportedly, despite a police complaint, there has been no action in this regard.

The video sparked an outrage on Twitter for the "thoughtless" behaviour shown by the people. Tweep @I_Vishwamitr posted: “... it only reinforces what is known - people show their real faces in times of crisis. All masks of morality are discarded at the drop of a hat.”

Tweeps came to his rescue

However, after the video went viral, Twitter users found the vendor's bank details and started helping the man recover the money he lost.

Tweep @tweet_me_80 posted: “Done my bit. Hope this helps him some way during these tough times.”