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Protesters, under the banner of Sakal Digamber Jain Samaj, take out a candlelight rally while Upper Bazar area (below) in Ranchi wears a deserted look on Friday in response to the murder of trader Gyan Chand Jain. (Hardeep Singh & Prashant Mitra) |
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The abduction and murder of septuagenarian industrialist Gyan Chand Jain has prompted Ranchi’s apprehensive business community to raise the ante for arms for personal defence.
Members of FJCCI went into a two-hour huddle at their Kadru office on Friday — a day after Jain’s decomposed body was found buried in a forest on the outskirts of the capital — and decided to pursue their arms licence applications with fresh vigour.
“We want arms licences without delay. Those among us who have not yet applied for one will do so immediately. We will mount pressure on the administration to clear our applications when it cannot guarantee our safety. There are around 500,000 traders and businessmen in the city. We are not promoting a weapon-wielding regiment, but anyone among us who genuinely feels threatened at home or at work must have a gun for self-defence,” FJCCI president Ranjit Kumar Tibrewal told reporters after the meeting ended at 1pm.
Tibrewal said they had also decided to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras inside and outside vulnerable business establishments for round-the-clock vigilance.
“The meeting has further advocated constitution of a monitoring cell, with former FJCCI president R.K. Sarawgi as its president, former DGP V.D. Ram as its nominated member and two senior IPS officers nominated by the DGP as its other members. The cell will keep tabs on security arrangements for businessmen and industrialists, and give necessary advice to the administration from time to time,” he said.
The FJCCI has demanded extra cover for Jain’s bereaved family members and a speedy murder trial. “Since a former employee was involved in the kidnap and killing of Gyan Chandji, his family members may face revenge attacks if the key accused is convicted. They need special protection. We also want the case to reach its legitimate end in two months. We will file a PIL in Jharkhand High Court so that the case sees trial in a fast-track court,” Tibrewal said.
“Instead of tailing VIPs, the police force should protect the common man,” he added.
The FJCCI president conceded that their meeting had focussed on employer-employee relationship too. “We have asked our members not to lose confidence in their staff because of this incident. Good behaviour always begets good behaviour. We have, however, asked employers to document details like photographs and resumés of their staff to facilitate police verification, if and when needed.”
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