Indore: Traders cane charged, half a dozen hurt

Traders association of Gandhi Nagar on Thursday claimed that half-a-dozen of their members sustained injuries after being cane charged by the police when they tried to request shopkeepers to down shutters in support of a bandh call.

Police refuted the allegations claiming the traders had fled the spot when the force arrived.

The traders had called for a bandh in favour of their demand of action against listed goons engaging in extortion.

Meanwhile, police were contemplating to book the goons under National Security Act (NSA).

The commotion started when traders of Gandhi Nagar area, staging protest on second consecutive day against extortion and attack by known criminals, were urging traders to shut their establishments. Traders’ association president Omprakash Agrawal told dna that around half a dozen traders were injured in the baton charge by police when they were peacefully urging the other shopkeepers to shut their work till noon.

"A police team led by Aerodrome police station in charge Manju Yadav arrived at the scene and cane charged a group of traders without any provocation and warning," Agrawal claimed.

Though, most of the shops were yet to open in the morning, traders were walking in the area urging the shopkeepers who had opened their establishments to join the protest against criminal activities in the area.

Sarpanch Bhagwan Singh Chauhan was also present on the spot along with the traders to support them.

On the other hand police station in charge Manju Yadav claimed that there was no baton charge at traders as they had fled as soon as police force reached the spot where they were trying to force close the shops, shouting provocative slogans and forcing passengers to alight from city vans on the main road.

Goons will be booked under NSA. Yadav also claimed that police had arrested as many as seven listed criminals including Mohsin, Jawed, Rahat, Pappu and three others, all residents of New Muslim Colony and awaiting nod from district administration to book them under NSA to curb their activities. Besides, a search was on to nab three other accomplices.

Police claim
They had fled as soon as police force reached the spot. Traders were trying to forcefully close shops, shouting provocative slogans and forcing passengers to alight from city vans.