Bengaluru, In a stern warning to violators, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Monday put the onus of lockdown ending on the people following the government's guidelines strictly and staying at home.

"Ending of the 3-week lockdown depends on strictness with which the people follow the curfew and maintain social distance. In this hour of crisis, it is not good to come out of house and violate the curfew," Yediyurappa said in a statement here.

He appealed to the people to help the state government in preventing the spread of the virus.

"People of Karnataka are known for tolerance and patience. They are law-abiding citizens. The lockdown is a testing time for them. It has come to test the patience of our people," Yediyurappa said.

Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apology for the lockdown amid the pandemic, the Chief Minister said everyone should realise the predicament of Modi who cares for the well-being of the country and its people.

"Modi's precautionary measures are yielding results when the performance of the developed countries is miserable in handling Covid outbreak," he said.

Yediyurappa lamented that many individuals in urban centres were brazenly transgressing the curfew rules, compelling the police to act against them.

"As the police are human beings like us, don't test their patience. They are under stress by working without rest. Don't make them use force and blame them for stern action," he reiterated.

The Chief Minister also exhorted parents not to allow their children to venture outside.

Assuring supply of essentials and food, Yediyurappa said the state government had taken measures to reach the needy.

He urged the people to consider the lockdown as a blessing in disguise to spend time reading books and engaging in other activities at home.

"It is for us to respect the sacrifice of the doctors, nurses, health staff and civic officials working round the clock to save lives of hundreds of people affected by coronavirus," he added.