Nagpur: The growing discontent among shopkeepers against the 25-day lockdown took an ugly turn in the city on Wednesday. Police resorted to a mild lathicharge on traders in Mominpura when they tried to open their shops in defiance of the lockdown order.
The shopkeepers also tried to browbeat video journalists against shooting shops dealing in non-essential commodities operating brazenly. This led to tension in the area, which forced Tehsil police station personnel to resort to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd and shut shops of non-essential commodities.
Eyewitnesses told TOI that at around 12.30pm, Sameer Sheikh, a head constable from Tehsil police station, was on duty in Mominpura area. During patrolling, he spotted many non-essential shops in Chudi Galli open. He objected to these shops remaining open, which infuriated shopkeepers, who tried to manhandle the cop.
Two other cops, who were at a distance, rushed to Sheikh’s rescue and alerted the control room. Additional force was deployed, which had to resort to mild lathicharge on the agitated crowd (mostly shopkeepers) to maintain order. Later, riot control police team too was deployed to ensure lockdown implementation in the vicinity. No shopkeepers were injured and soon the situation was under control.
Tehsil police have booked the violating traders under relevant sections of IPC including 188, 140, 144 etc.
Shops dealing in essential commodities and major vegetable markets like Cotton Market, Gokulpeth market were abuzz with activity. Even though NMC and state government have issued clear guidelines about the lockdown, still many private offices functioned with full capacity, while many shops of non-essentials too were found open in many areas including Zingabai Takli, Jaripatka, Mahal and Sakkardara.
The Sitabuldi Merchants Association (SMA) on Wednesday gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to withdraw the “lockdown with restrictions” order from April 9, failing which shops dealing in non-essential commodities will start functioning, they said.
BJP’s Vyapari Sanghtana, led by MLCs Girish Vyas and Pravin Datke, staged protests against the state government during the day in Itwari and on Kelibagh Road (Mahal). Riot Control Police (RCP) teams were deployed at Mominpura, Itwari and Jaripatka areas to maintain law and order in Nagpur.
SMA executive member Hussain Noorallah Ajani and others staged a silent protest on Sitabuldi main road terming the MVA government’s lockdown decision was akin to backstabbing traders. According to Ajani, traders had extended all possible cooperation to the government over the last 13 months of the pandemic. “However, in return, we got nothing and now we have been slapped with another lockdown,” he said.
“The pandemic-induced lockdown last year, restricted openings later, followed by the near-lockdown-like situation in most of March, have immensely impacted the with many facing precarious financial situation. Most of us are already reeling under huge debts and this 25-day lockdown will force many traders to either end life or beg to barely make ends meet,” traders said.
During a tour of the city on Wednesday, TOI spotted private vehicles including two-wheelers in large numbers on the city roads as well as national and state highways. As compared to day 1, fewer police personnel were seen on the streets and those who were present, seemed to be ignoring people freely coming out onto the streets for minor reasons. TOI spotted at least a hundred youngsters riding triple seat in blatant violation of the traffic rules. Public transport, including Aapli Bus and autorickshaws, remained on the road.