Five booked for extorting money from vegetable vendors in Ludhiana

The vegetable vendors alleged that the extortion was continuing for the past one-and-a-half years. They also alleged that despite repeated complaints, the police did not take any action

The Sarabha Nagar police booked five persons for allegedly extorting money from vegetable vendors at Lodhi Club Road.

Five booked for extorting money from vegetable vendors in Ludhiana

The move comes after the intervention of Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Ludhiana West Constituency Gurpreet Gogi Bassi. The MLA reached the vegetable market and talked to the vegetable vendors, who alleged that despite repeated complaints, the police did not take action.

Gogi summoned municipal corporation officials and sub-inspector Amarinder Singh, SHO at Sarabha Nagar Police station on the spot. He asked the police to record the statement of the vendors and lodge an FIR.

The vegetable vendors alleged that the extortion was continuing for the past one-and-a-half years. They also alleged that despite repeated complaints, the police did not take any action.

The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Sajan Kumar, a vegetable vendor from Guru Amardas Nagar. The accused have been identified as Lakshmi Kante Mishra alias Pandit of Giaspura, Surinder Singh of Jawaddi village, Ravi of Dhakka Colony, Rakesh Dua and Vijay of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar.

The victim said that he sells vegetables in market at Lodhi Club, near Rajguru Nagar, which is under Ludhiana Municipal Corporation. He along with 149 other vegetable vendors already pay ₹1,000 per month to the municipal corporation as fees.

Kumar said that the accused have been extorting money from vegetable sellers. On Tuesday also, the accused came to the vegetable market and started threatening the vendors for money. When he refused to give them money, the accused started hurling abuses at him and snatched ₹2,000 from him.

The SHO added that an FIR under sections 384 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC has been lodged against the accused. A hunt is on for their arrest.