Shop owners of Hajiganj stage a protest in front of Chowk police station on Wednesday against the inability of the cops to nab the criminals who robbed Swarn Rekha Jewellers. Picture by Sachin

Patna, Jan. 11: Shop owners of Hajiganj today kept their business establishments closed to protest against police’s inability to nab any of the robbers who decamped with ornaments from Swarn Rekha Jewellers in the area yesterday.

The incident occurred around 3.30pm yesterday under the jurisdiction of Chowk police station of Patna City. The cops are yet to make any breakthrough.

The agitated businessmen, mostly jewellers, gathered in front of the police station this morning demanding the arrest of the robbers. They alleged the police patrolling in the area having 35 jewellery shops besides several clothes and grocery stores was irregular.

The jewellers claimed that taking advantage of the lax security, robbers had dared to strike at the shop the second time in a decade. In July 2002, armed criminals had decamped with jewellery worth more than Rs 5 lakh from the Swarn Rekha Jewellers.

Babloo Khatri, the owner of New Khazana Jewellers, told The Telegraph: “The police have not been able to make any breakthrough in the case. They repeat the same line — ‘investigations are on’ — every time. The area (Hajiganj) is fast becoming a den of criminals. We don’t feel safe here anymore.”

When contacted, the cops related their own problems.

An officer at Chowk police station said: “The area under the jurisdiction of the police station — about 4km — is not huge. But it is very congested and full of lanes and bylanes. So, it is very difficult to patrol this area properly.”

The businessmen, however, are not willing to listen to excuses, as they feel that they do not have any security.

Ajay Soni, the owner of Ajay Jewellers, said: “If incidents like these occur frequently, how will we survive with our businesses? Such robberies hit us badly. There has been little or no police patrolling in the area. Things have gone from bad to worse.”

He added that a large number of people gather at the tea stalls in the area every evening and create a ruckus. “These people often get into altercations but the police don’t care to check them either,” added Ajay.

Vijay Soni, the owner of Maa Vaishnavi Jewellers, said: “If the police fail to provide us with adequate security, we might have to wrap up our businesses and move elsewhere. We are asking the police to provide us security. That is their duty. We want the robbers, who looted the jewellery shop yesterday, to be arrested immediately.”

The cops claimed efforts were on to nab the criminals.

“We have made some sketches of the persons involved in the robbery. Investigations are going on. They will be arrested soon,” said the officer at Chowk police station.

He added: “We are also trying to provide adequate security to the businessmen in the area. At present, we have six Quick Mobile Service personnel. They have been asked to patrol all the lanes and bylanes.”