Traders, Muslims come out on streets in protest

DEHRADUN: The traders’ association of Dehradun protested against the Pulwama terror attack, with shops of all major markets in the capital shut on Saturday till this report was filed. Petrol pump owners also extended their support and pumps were closed till 2pm.

Traders in Mussoorie’s Kulri market also joined the protest and shut their shops.

Major markets like Paltan Bazaar, Jhanda Bazaar and Arhat Bazaar, and all shops along Kanwali road, Chakrata road, Saharanpur chowk, Tehsil chowk amnd Rajpur Road remained closed.

Officially, traders had decided to keep their shops closed till 2 pm, but locals who were on the streets as part of silent vigils forced traders to keep their shops closed past 2 pm. A readymade garment shop owner, who did not wish to be named, said, “We have been waiting to open our shop but members of Bajrang Dal are not allowing us to go ahead. They are threatening us with violence.”

Members of Bajrang Dal said the group had not been responsible for any violence. “After a silent vigil, we had left it upon the shopkeepers to open their shops or not as the shutdown was until 2pm. However, after some traders started opening their shops, some people from Kanwali Road area threatened shopkeepers as a result of which the shops were closed again. These people are not associated with Bajrang Dal, VHP or BJP’s youth wing,” said Vikas Verma, convener of Bajrang Dal’s Dehradun unit.