Last year saw six incidents of dacoity where traders were targeted. In two of the cases, four were shot dead and five injured.
Of the six, three attacks took place in shops at Naka, Alambagh and Gudumba. Protests back then had prompted police to announce a slew of safety measures, including a mobile app with panic button for swift assistance and surveillance cameras across thoroughfares. Jewellers were also asked to install cameras and link them to police stations for 24/7 vigil.
Amarnath Mishra, secretary of Yahiyaganj Vyapar Mandal, said barring the app, the other promises had not been fulfilled. “We have given police an ultimatum of four days to nab the culprits in the Rakabganj case, failing which traders across the city will go on a strike,” he said.
Mishra maintained that they had urged the authorities to deliver the promises at the earliest and beef up policing in vulnerable areas. “We have also demanded that applications from traders for firearms licence pending for long be cleared as soon as possible,” he added. Ashish Chandra Trivedi, a tobacco trader in Rakabganj, said his application for a gun licence was pending for 14 months. “I must have written around 10 letters to the district administration so far, but all in vain.”
Vinod Maheshwari, general secretary of Chowk Sarafa Association, said on February 15, the police commissioner had met city jewellers and assured them that police pickets would be set up at 60 intersections near major markets. “He (the commissioner) had even said that armoured vehicles would be on standby at 10 crossings. Nothing has been done till now.”
