Shop owners in the state capital will start wear black badges on their shirts from Friday to mark their protest against the failure of the police in nabbing the criminals who shot at two brothers at their jewellery store on Monday.
Rahul and Rohit Kheriwal, co-owners of a jewellery shop in Lalpur, were shot at in a brazen daylight attack that sent shockwaves through the city in general and businessmen in particular. The motorcycle-borne attackers could be seen clearly in CCTV footage brandishing a gun. However, police — who say the attack was a robbery attempt — are yet to make any arrest in the case.
The brothers were operated on at RIMS and were flown to Delhi on Wednesday for better treatment. Jewellers across the city had kept the shutters of their shops down from 11am to 2pm on Wednesday to protest against the attack and the police’s failure to nab the culprits.
The black-badge protest decision was taken at meeting of the Federation of Jharkhand Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) at Chamber Bhawan. Rahul and Rohit’s father, Banwari Kheriwal, was present at the meeting.
“Apart from the decision of working with black badges, businessmen also decided not to meet any police officials, MPs or MLAs on the issue till Sunday,” FJCCI president Kunal Ajmani said. “In case the criminals who attacked the brothers are not arrested till Monday morning, traders will keep their business establishments shut till 2pm on Monday.”
He said Banwari Kheriwal had expressed shock and concern over poor policing in the city.
“He was worried how come police of the state capital allowed five criminals to leave the city on two motorbikes in 25 minutes though the report of the incident had reached the cops — who are equipped with wireless systems, electronic surveillance system and a variety of forces including bike-borne Tiger Mobile squads,” Ajmani said, sharing what Banwari had said at the meeting.
“There are over 5,000 business establishment in the city. The impact of our protest on Friday will be felt everywhere in the state capital,” Ajmani added.
