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| Burning tyres block the road near City Plaza in Dhanbad, while chemist shops down shutters on Friday in protest against trader Saroj Singh’s murder. Pictures by Gautam Dey |
Arteries were blocked and shutters were downed in Dhanbad on Friday, as several hundred traders took to the streets against the murder of a surgical equipment dealer at City Plaza on Thursday evening and demanded effective policing under an officer of SSP rank.
Saroj Singh (38), owner of Sri Ram Enterprises and Surgical Agency at the Joraphatak complex, had a spat with a builder from Manaitand, Sanjay Singh, over installation of a transformer near his shop. While Saroj insisted that the transformer be relocated to prevent its magnetic field from affecting surgical tools, Sanjay remained adamant.
The verbal duel soon turned ugly and the latter shot the dealer in the chest, killing him on the spot around 6.30pm on Thursday. Vijay Singh, the younger brother of Sanjay, was arrested later in the night, but the key accused and three accomplices are absconding.
Around 11.30am on Friday, a 100-strong mob trooped to City Plaza and blocked the road by burning tyres. A police team led by DSP (law and order) Amit Kumar and DSP R.N. Sharma had to use mild force to quell the protest.
Another group of clogged the artery near Birsa Chowk around noon. They burnt tyres and demanded immediate arrest of the accused. The protest was withdrawn in 20 minutes a police team led by Bank More OC Ramesh Kumar and Dhansar OC Sushil Kumar promised quick action.
Meanwhile, more than 900 retail and wholesale medicine shops supported a daylong strike called by the Chemists and Druggists Association of Dhanbad. Around 850 shops at Purana Bazar also remained shut to express their solidarity.
SP Ravi Kant Dhan confirmed the arrest of Vijay Singh. “Overnight raids were conducted in different parts of the district, including Manaitand. One person has been arrested,” he said
However, Sanjay and his friends — Madhulika Sweets owner Tinku Chaurasia, Pravin Agarwal of Alankar Jewellers and liquor trader Krishna Singh — are on the run. “We have received clues and will arrest the others soon,” the SP said.
A murder case has been registered against them on the complaint of the deceased trader’s partner Manoj Singh. The latter is an eyewitness to the killing and received bullet wounds on his right leg. He is being treated at Central Hospital.
The chemists association held a meeting with the Federation of Dhanbad Zilla Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FDZCCI) and Purana Bazar Chamber of Commerce at New Market, Bank More.
The president of FDZCCI said Thursday’s incident had once again brought to light lax policing in the district. “We demand that Dhanbad be declared a police commissionary and an SSP like Ranchi and Jamshedpur be appointed here,” he said.
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