Our shops are safe, claim Delhi owners

Reacting to the Mumbai incident, big store owners in the Capital admitted there could be a similar occurrence in this city, but claimed it wouldn’t happen in their shops.

Reacting to the Mumbai incident, big store owners in the Capital admitted there could be a similar occurrence in this city, but claimed it wouldn’t happen in their shops.

HT Image

Although police officers couldn’t recall similar incidents being reported, is this a possibility in a city where pornographic MMS clips of women are widely circulated? Sanjay Rana, store manager at the Pepe Jeans outlet in Block F, Connaught Place, said the shop had proper safeguards.

“Our showrooms are designed in a way that provides privacy to customers. The doors are properly in place and there is absolutely no scope for foul play,” he said.

Foolproof design alone cannot help, employee etiquette and higher education also matters, said Rajat Sharma, store manager of a Wills Lifestyle shop. “All the executives here are at least graduates. They know how to conduct themselves. We have both male and female staff to cater to the needs of individual visitors,” said Sharma.

Despite the talk, women here believe in satisfying themselves of privacy before trying out clothes or walking into a toilet at some shop. “I check the lights for any hidden cameras and look for holes anywhere inside the trial rooms to ensure no one is watching me,” said Gitika Ahuja, a resident of Rohini.