PATNA: Angry over alleged police inaction against spurt in crime in and around Bihta, the Bihta Vyavsayi Sangh has decided to organise a human chain in the block HQ town of Patna district on Sunday. Earlier on Friday, the traders' body organised a 'GST surrender march'.
The business establishments in Bihta have been indefinitely shut since the firing on Kesri Medical Agency on Chini Mill Road on December 13.
Sangh members said the firing was aimed to terrorize the medicine shop owners, Raju Bharti and Sanjeev Bharti, from whom
criminals had demanded Rs 10 lakh as 'rangdari' on December 6.
Earlier, trader Nirbhay Singh was shot on September 15. Proprietor of several business establishments, including Uday cinema hall, Nirbhay was also the founder president of the traders' body. Bihta had observed bandh for six consecutive days in protest against the killing of Nirbhay.
Sangh's current president Ajay Kumar Singh said there were around 1,000 businessmen in Bihta area. "We have contemplated surrendering our GST number before deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who is also the state finance minister, if the law and order situation does not improve soon," president Singh said and added if the state government failed to rein in the criminals and make Bihta a safe place, the traders' body would approach Union finance minister Arun Jaitley.
Singh said the state government should give a free hand to police to bump off the criminals operating in the Bihta area in encounters. "At the same time, the Bihta businessmen should be provided arms licences for self defence," he said.
The Sangh alleged the crime situation deteriorated in Bihta as police failed to nab the actual culprits who plotted the killing of Nirbhay. "Till Nirbhay was alive, the criminals were scared of operating in Bihta... Nirbhay's was one of the richest and most influential families which had settled in Bihta over a century ago," president Singh said.
