Sarangpur closes down to protest goon harassment

Around 1,500 business establishments and offices in Ghantakarna Mahavir Market in Sarangpur, where business worth crores is undertaken every day, observed a total bandh on Monday in protest against antisocial elements in the locality. A majority of the commercial establishments in the area are engaged in textile business. 

Businessmen in the area have rallied against a gang of five to six people, who indulge in drinking, creating nuisance, and beating up locals. They also, locals allege, buy goods but do not pay. Recently, they locked up an 80-year-old man and beat him up severely.

Enraged at all this, the businessmen held a meeting last week and met Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone-VI Maninder Pawar. The DCP asked Kagdapith police inspector AS Pandya to probe the matter.

"The police have asked business persons in the area to come forward and register their complaints. But the locals, who fear the gang, have not even divulged the names of people involved in the act,'' Pandya said. 

According to Pandya, this is a chronic problem and has been going on for several years. "Whenever local businessmen have lodged complaints against nuisance-makers, we have taken action," the inspector said.

He said that the businessmen had been asked to install CCTV cameras in their offices to monitor any anti-social activity in the area.

Pandya asked them to stay firm in lodging complaints if they wanted police to take action against antisocial elements.