Traders protest, down shutters

More than 400 angry traders took to the streets of Chandni Chowk in North Delhi on Monday to protest against the rise in crimes against the community.

More than 400 angry traders took to the streets of Chandni Chowk in North Delhi on Monday to protest against the rise in crimes against the community.

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On Sunday, a Chandni Chowk trader was shot dead by two bike-borne robbers at Najafgarh in southwest Delhi. The robbers fled with the car of the victim, who had gone there for some business deal.

The protesting trader community said they were “feeling unsafe” in the city and had become “soft targets”.

Organised by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the day-long ‘Trade Bandh’ saw more than 1,300 shops downing shutters with the owners sitting in a dharna at Kucha Mahajani, considered the seat of bullion trade in the Capital.

“We are protesting against the continuous incidents of daylight robberies and assault on traders from across the city,” said Praveen Khandelwal, CAIT's secretary general.

“We have been targeted by criminals wanting to make a quick buck.”

The traders were particularly irate with the December 19 Sadar Bazar incident, in which bike-borne assailants attempted to rob two traders who were on their way to a nearby bank.

“Incidents like the one at Sadar Bazar and yesterday’s incident in which Roshan Lal, who was a bullion trader like us was killed, are proof that it is high time that the state and the police did something about our security,” added Khandelwal.

Alleging that traders had become “soft targets” for goons, the ‘Sarafa’ traders had met Joint Commissioner of Police Karnal Singh immediately after the incident at Sadar Bazar in North Delhi.

They had demanded people-police partnership in providing security to traders operating at markets such as Sadar Bazar, Khari Baoli, Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh and Pahar Ganj.

Khandelwal said the protest would continue on Tuesday as well.