Jaipur Effect: Produce documents to buy a bicycle

The Jaipur blasts have rocked the corridors of power in neighbouring Gujarat, which is already on the radar of terrorists outfit in the wake of the post-Godhra communal riots.

Taking a clue from Jaipur blasts, which were orchestrated using bicycle bombs, the Gujarat home ministry has directed bicycle traders not to sell any products without verifying residence proofs of buyers.

Especially so, when Gujarat has had a history of such terror attacks. Devices such as bicycle and tiffin bombs have been used in attack in Ahmedabad in the past three years. The modus operandi has been used in Mumbai, Nagpur, Ajmer and recently in Jaipur leaving the security agencies baffled.

The home department has issued circular to all the cycle vendors to collect residence and identity proofs from buyers.

Bicycle vendors from Anand and Vadodara too have started asking customers to submit identity and address proofs.

"As the police department has informed us to be vigilant, we keep records customers," says Paresh Parikh, the owner of H.Parikh & Co. told Business Standard,

Hiralal Mittal, President, The Cycle Merchant Association said, "We keep record of the name and address of the cycle buyer and the number of the cycle. There are almost 200 cycle stores in Ahmedabad and among them 165 stores are associated with us." A spokesperson of the state home department confirmed the move and added, "The cycle vendors have been asked to sell cycle only after collecting required documents regarding identity and address of the buyer, so that the owner can be identified.

Not just terrorist attacks, but this move will help the police to curb petty crimes also," said a senior official in the state home department.