Hisar traders flay police after rise in extortion calls by gangsters

In the last four days, the gangsters had demanded extortion amounts from three businessmen in Hisar district, forcing traders to shut down markets in a protest against rising extortion calls in Hisar on Friday

Gangsters in Haryana are targeting businessmen, traders, industrialists and builders in a typical modus operandi by firing shots outside their business establishments and demanding extortion money through WhatsApp messages, calls and even throwing chits mentioning protection money, or be ready to face dire consequences.

This year, at least 12 traders and businessmen had received extortion calls from gangsters. (Getty image)

In the last four days, the gangsters had demanded extortion amounts from three businessmen in Hisar district, forcing traders to shut down markets in a protest against rising extortion calls in Hisar on Friday. This year, at least 12 traders and businessmen had received extortion calls from gangsters.

On Monday, three masked men fired shots outside a Mahindra showroom in Hisar and demanded a ransom of ₹5 crore from owner Ram Bhagat, who is also national vice-president of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

According to police, the front gate of the showroom was broken in the firing and the front glass of a car was vandalised. The assailants fled on a bike after firing the shots and leaving a note, police added.

The ransom note carries, “Jai shri Ram, jai gau mata. Ya to ₹5 crore taiyar kar liye, nahi to showroom mai baithne wala nahi pawega (Either arrange ₹5 crore, or else the person sitting in the showroom will not be able to sit). Kala Khairampuria, Lalu Kharia, Sunny Khardia, Sajid Khan, Suresh Dhadhunia, Bhau Gang, Neeraj Bawana gang, Neeraj Faridpuria.”

After the incident, the showroom owner and his family are living in fear, and have asked the Hisar police to provide them security cover and arrest the assailants. After the incident, four police personnel were deployed outside his showroom.

In the second incident, a caller, who introduced himself as Mahakal had demanded an extortion amount of ₹2 crore from an automobile owner, Kittu Bansal, on Monday night and threatened to kill him if he failed to give the ransom sum.

However, in the third incident, trader Manish Goyal, alias Monu, received an extortion call from gangster Kala Khairampuria, who demanded a protection amount of ₹2 crore.

Condemning the extortion incidents, Haryana Vyapar Mandal president Bajrang Das Garg said the auto market of Hisar will remain closed in a protest against the rising extortion and firing incidents outside the business establishments.

“ The Haryana government has failed to provide a good atmosphere to traders and gangsters had a free run in the state. The chief minister has failed to run the state and the law and order situation has completely collapsed,” he added.

Hisar police spokesman Vikas Kumar said the police are searching to arrest the assailants and security has been provided to the traders, who received ransom threats.

Rise of extortion

In the first extortion incident this year, a milkman was injured after three bike-borne assailants opened fire outside a sweet shop in Gohana, Sonepat, on January 21. The assailants had opened fire, injuring milkman Bijender, of Mahra village, and they threw a piece of paper, demanding ₹2 crore. They threatened to kill the show owner if the extortion amount was not given. The piece of paper mentioned gangsters Neeraj Faridpur, Bahu and Kala Kharampuria. The police had arrested eight accused in this case.

In the second case, Rohtak police arrested three persons in connection with firing at a shop in Sampla on February 7 and demanding an extortion of ₹1 crore from shopkeeper Sita Ram. The criminals went to the sweet shop and opened fire.

On June 4, former Bahadurgarh municipal council chairman Ashok Gupta received an extortion call from gangster Kapil Sangwan, alias Nandu, who demanded ₹2 crore from him, otherwise threatening him to face similar consequences faced by former INLD state chief Nafe Singh, who was shot dead by Nandu’s aides.

On June 16, unknown callers demanded a ransom sum of ₹10 crore from former sarpanch Shriniwas of Fatehgarh village in Jind through a WhatsApp call.

On June 23, bike-borne assailants opened fire at a car owned by an immigration centre owner in Karnal and demanded extortion of ₹1 crore. Earlier, on June 5, the assailants had also fired shots outside another immigration centre in Karnal on June 5 and sought ₹1 crore ransom. The police had arrested two accused in this case.