Four computer traders from Dhanbad have received extortion threats from alleged People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) operatives on Sunday, November 29. They demanded Rs 50 lakh from each one of them for the expansion of PLFI.

The computer traders, City Computers ‑ Vishal Kumar, owner of Jhajharia Computer ‑ Vikash Agarwal and owner of Agarwal Computer ‑ Tinku Agarwal and his elder brother Govind Agarwal, received WhatsApp messages on their mobile phones in the name of a banned organisation, PLFI.

Office bearers of different trade bodies including the Federation of Dhanbad Zila Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FDZCCI) and Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association (JITA) have expressed concern over PLFI’s extortion messages sent to the four computer traders.

FDZCCI held a meeting at Purana Bazar under the chairmanship of Chetan Goenka, president of FDZCCI on Tuesday to discuss on this issue. During the meeting, participants expressed their concern over the incident and demanded immediate investigation and arrest of people behind the mischief.

“The traders can’t work properly in fear. Whether some banned organisation or some local goons are trying to use the name of this outfit for their advantage needs to be investigated and exposed,” said Prabhat Surolia president of Bank More Chamber of Commerce, a participant of the meeting. He added that they (traders) have decided to meet senior police officers to demand action against those involved.

Echoing similar sentiments, Ajay Narayan Lal, vice-president of FDZCCI said, “We will be meeting Dhanbad SSP, Aseem Vikrant Minz in two-three days. We will be demanding for strict action to be taken against those behind the incident after police investigates into the matter.”

“The way in which the four traders have been sent WhatsApp messages demanding for money extortion is similar to the previous incident. A jewellery shop owner of Bank More, Tripurari Burnwal, had been sent a similar message in September, following which his shop was robbed on September 26,” informed Lal. He maintained that the traders are expecting some breakthrough by the police very soon.

The sender of the message has also threatened to take severe actions if the traders failed to pay the extortion money.

The traders later lodged an FIR in Bank More Police station against the unidentified people.

Dhanbad ASP, Manoj Swargiyar, while talking to media, said, “A similar extortion threat had been given to the traders in Ranchi the name of PLFI. We are in the process of arresting those behind the incident after identifying them.”