Waris Fayaz
Sopore, Sep 28: Police on Thursday foiled a protest demonstration by shopkeepers who were demanding the removal of a road divider here in north Kashmir’s Sopore town. Many of them were detained and released later on.
Dozens of shopkeepers staged a protest demonstration against the authorities, demanding the removal of a road divider at the heart of the town – Main Chowk – which, as per them, is hampering their businesses.
The shopkeepers from Main Chowk and Bada Bazar (Jamia Masjid road) said their business has been severely affected due to the installation of road barriers and dividers.
Following the protest call by the shopkeepers, policemen were already deployed at the Main Chowk on Thursday morning to thwart any untoward incident. Minutes after shopkeepers staged a protest, they were detained and taken to the nearest police station. However, they were released after hours of detention.
Meanwhile, the shopkeepers while expressing concern said they have been suffering huge losses as most of the material and items remained unsold due to the road divider. This barrier has led to a significant decline in our sales, they said.
“We don’t want removal of dividers across the town, but in the Main Chowk only which has impacted the business and livelihood of hundreds of shopkeepers,” Rayees Kaloo, a trader and social activist, said.
We were detained and kept in the police station for hours for protesting for our genuine demand of removing the barricade, Kaloo said, adding, “We were asked not to protest again else we will be arrested.”
We will meet the administration again to discuss the issue, he added.
Meanwhile, distancing themselves from the protest demonstration, President Traders Federation Sopore, Haji Mohammed Ashraf Ganaie said that they were not part of the protest.
“Yes, few of the dividers should be removed as demanded by some shopkeepers as well as shoppers, but it should be resolved peacefully,” Ganaie said, adding, “There should be no politics over the issue. We are in no way with those who do politics on it.”
The president referred to the “political backup” for the protest. (KNO)
