Ramzan shopping takes a knock as nervous shoppers stay off streets

Two weeks before Ramzan, Abdul Salam is usually busy attending to hordes of eager shoppers at his family’s perfume store on Mohammed Ali Road. This year, however, the July 13 serial blasts have rendered a blow to his business.

Two weeks before Ramzan, Abdul Salam is usually busy attending to hordes of eager shoppers at his family’s perfume store on Mohammed Ali Road. This year, however, the July 13 serial blasts have rendered a blow to his business.

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With Ramzan set to begin on August 1, Salam and other businessmen are worried about the low footfalls in the market.

“Usually, this is the peak season for Ramzan shoppers coming from outside the city. But rising paranoia after the blasts have kept them away, and business is dull,” said Salam, co-owner of HM Zakaria Perfumers outside Minara Masjid.

Some shoppers chose to postpone their visits to the city following the blasts. Ansar Shikalgar, a Sangli-based businessman, was supposed to visit Mumbai for Ramzan purchases on July 15, but postponed his trip by five days. “I decided to wait for five days for the situation to normalise,” Shikalgar said after arriving at Mohammed Ali Road on Wednesday to shop for large quantities of perfumes, bangles, clothes and dry fruits.

Several shopkeepers are taking due precaution. Nooruddin Gilani, a confectionary store owner, will hire private security guards this year and will have CCTV cameras outside the shop.

Saud Qureshi, who also plans to install a CCTV camera outside his family’s perfume store, said, “We are nervous not only of another blast-like event recurring, but also because police always picks up young Muslims after a terror attack.”