2 held for forcibly shutting meat shops in Gurugram

The Gurugram Police on Sunday arrested two persons under the Arms Act and filed FIRs against 40 others for allegedly forcing meat traders to shut their shops by brandishing weapons on Saturday citing Chaitra Navaratri.

Two arrested persons have been identified as Rakesh alias Chikka and Pramod Singh of the Hindu Sena, both resident of Dundehera in Gurugram, a police official said on Sunday.

"They have been booked under IPC sections of 148, 149 and 506 for threatening shop owners with dire consequences for opening their shops and marching on streets holding baton, hockey sticks, swords and iron rods in their hands," said Sumer Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, West Zone.

The accused also pulled down shutters of many shops, he added.

"We will produce them in the court and urge for a police remand to recover the said arms and identify other accused," said Singh.

Despite the model code of conduct in place, around 200 Hindu Sena activists assembled at lord Shiva temple on Old Railway Road on Saturday and marched to different locations aiming to close meat shops.

They toured sector 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 21, 22, Palam Vihar, Badshahpur, Om Vihar, Surat Nagar, Sadar Bazar, Anaj Mandi Dhanwapur, Dundahera, Molaheda, Sikandarpur and many other places in Gurugram and forcibly shut over 180 shops.

About 50 per cent owners of meat shop had kept it shut to avoid any unwanted situation.

Meanwhile, Ritu Raj, chief of the Hindu Sena, said the Hindu organisations would continue with their efforts throughout the Navaratri as opening of meat shops during the festival could hurt religious sentiments of Hindus.

--IANS

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