Cases of harassment by Bhandup goons continue, traders shut shop in protest

Goons are running amok in Bhandup once again extracting haftas and terrorising shopkeepers Unable to take the harassment anymore over 400 traders held a protest in the suburb on Wednesday They accused the police and politicians of turning a blind eye to their plightA month ago Subhash Chaurasiya a paan stall owner his wife and 75yearold mother were thrashed by a certain Sandeep Patil While Patil was arrested following a complaint the traders said the police pressed lsquolightrsquo sections helping him walk on bail easily A frightened Chaurasiya shuttered the shop and rushed to his hometown with family said a traderUpset by the assault traders on Gaondevi Road decided to raise their voices ldquoEveryone knows the problem of drug abuse in the area Random people come to us ask for money If denied they attack or threaten us Itrsquos really tough to do business hererdquo said Ghisulal Solanki president of Gaondevi Road Vyapari Sarv Seva Mandal ldquoFrom January 2021 we have been telling the cops to intervene but they donrsquot pay any attention We have no choice to raise our voicerdquo he addedMore than 400 traders including jewellers provisional general and medical stores gathered on Gaondevi Road in Bhandup West for a silent protest on Wednesday and shut their shops till the afternoon Bhandup cops held a discussion with the traders at the scene and assured them of action on the goons within 8 to 10 days The traders then resumed their businessesAlso ReadMumbai NCB arrests drug peddler in connection with Chinku Pathan drugs caseIn 2018 Bhandup was in the grip of panic when 12 murders were reported in the first 8 months and saw several cases of assaults A delegation of local residents had met then police commissioner Subodh Jaiswal The local senior inspector was shunted out and a new officer was appointed The cops chalked out a detailed plan to weed out drugs and criminals Despite tight vigil a group of 18 to 20 people vandalised houses bikes at Ramabai Nagar No 1 in October of that year Cops kept up the pressure bringing peace at last This was followed by the COVID pandemic which too ensured that hooligans did not have a free run However traders said things have now taken a murky turnOwners of shops on Gaondevi Road meet before the protest on Wednesday PicsRajesh GuptaldquoMany drug users and revellers come here demanding some stuff or money If we deny they threaten to attack us Even if we contact the cops they simply donrsquot pay any attention to our pleasrdquo said a shop owner ldquoMany times we went to the police station complaining the menace but they didnrsquot even listen to us Where will we take our grievances Political parties too distance themselves from this problem This is strange we suspect these parties are handinglove with these goonsrdquo he added Sandeep Jalgaonkar an MNS Leader from Bhandup said ldquoWhy only this part of the Bhandup is having trouble Where is the local police We demand action from Bhandup police as soon as possible Peace has returned to Bhandup after so many years We want cops not to ignore such instancesrdquoCop rejects tradersrsquo claimsShyam Shinde senior inspector of Bhandup police station rejected the claims of return of criminals He said ldquoIf traders have any issue or are being troubled by any particular group or person they should inform us about it We need names to take action but since many days there are only talks of agitation The police have brought peace to the area with hard work We have externed all notorious criminals and we want peace to continue Still we will increase patrolling to make sure there is not a single instance of hooliganismrdquoThe Bhandup police station The area saw too many crimes in 2018 before cops restored peaceDeepmala Badhe Shiv Sena corporator ward no 113 said ldquoThe incident which traders pointing out of beating a paan shop owner had happened the person arrested is my worker and was arrested for no reason Still we didnrsquot say a word against it But now traders are making an issue out of nothing Bhandup is at peace and there are some trying to make noise and protestrdquo2018Last time there was law and order trouble in Bhandup12No of murders in Bhandup in first 8 months of 2018