C'garh shops down shutters to protest against Pulwama attack

Most shops and commercial establishments in Chhattisgarh remained closed on Monday in protest against the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 which killed 40 CRPF personnel.

The shutdown call, which exempted medical stores, perishable items' markets and petrol pumps, was given by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

Amar Parwani of CAIT's Chhattisgarh unit told PTI that shopkeepers were requested to down shutters till 1pm on Monday and all trade bodies, including the Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce, obliged.

He said shop owners in major cities like Durg, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Dhamtari and Korba participated in the shutdown.

As part of the protest, shopkeepers in capital Raipur gathered at Nagar Ghadi Chowk and observed two-minute silence.

He said traders have also been asked to voluntarily make donations to help the kin of the martyred jawans.

Forty Central Reserve Police Force troopers were killed on February 14 when a Jaish-e-Mohammed operative rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the paramilitary force's convoy in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.