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Traders down shutters to protest ‘poor’ law and order situation in Kotkapura
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kotkapura, had given a ‘Kotkapura bandh call’ on Thursday. More than two dozen incidents of robbery, snatching and attack with sharp-edged weapons have taken place in the past two weeks. The markets remained closed for more than eight hours.
Traders and shopkeepers on Thursday observed a complete shutdown in Kotkapura city in Faridkot district to protest against the law and order situation in the area.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kotkapura, had given a ‘Kotkapura bandh call’ on Thursday. More than two dozen incidents of robbery, snatching and attack with sharp-edged weapons have taken place in the past two weeks. The markets remained closed for more than eight hours.
However, the traders lifted their dharna after Fardikot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harjeet Singh assured strict action in these incidents. He said police have already rounded up a person linked to an attack on a shopkeeper. “We have already increased the patrolling in the area. Faridkot SP headquarters will regularly visit the city to review the situation. A temporary post will be established, and CCTV cameras will be installed in the area,” he added.
Onkar Goyal, president of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the robbery, snatching and attack on traders have increased in Kotkapura. “Most of the incidents took place in broad daylight. We are feeling unsafe, and so this bandh call was given against the poor law and order situation,” he said.
“The Faridkot SSP has assured us that strict action will be taken against the miscreants and a safe environment will be provided to the public. But if police failed to take any action, we will restart our protest against the law and order situation,” he added.
Punjab speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has also complained about the law and order problem in his constituency to the director general of police Gaurav Yadav. Sandhwan, who is a two-time MLA from Kotkapura, held a meeting with the DGP in Chandigarh.
On Monday night around 8.30, Harinder Singh Ahuja who runs a popular general store – ‘Kake di Hatti’ – in Kotkapura was attacked and robbed when he was going home after closing the shop.
Earlier this week, robbers had taken away ₹1.6 lakh from the petrol pump’s cash box, while around ₹6,000 was looted from a teenager from the main market of Kotkapura.
