Doon bazaar shuts after call for ouster of Muslim traders, 134 hawkers held

DEHRADUN: As many as 134 "suspicious individuals" working as hawkers and handcart pullers in Dehradun's famous Paltan Bazaar were detained by police for failing to produce "valid IDs" during a verification drive on Tuesday that began after a woman complained that a Muslim worker in a shoe shop "misbehaved" with her.

The police action came a day after some locals along with members of right-wing groups shut down the busy market and held a protest demanding that Muslim traders "vacate the shops taken on rent" following the Hindu woman's allegation.

A case was also registered against the 24-year-old salesman, Umer Dawood, of UP's Bijnor, under BNS sections 74 (assault on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) and 75(2) (sexual harassment), & subsequently the accused was arrested.

SSP Ajai Singh said, "The drive was carried out to check credentials of people from outside state running businesses or working at shops in the market. Around 134 people who failed to produce a valid ID proof were detained during the drive. They were taken to police lines for further questioning."

"We have urged all the shopkeepers to cooperate in the process and cautioned them about potential legal repercussions of hiring employees without thorough verification. To ensure women safety in the market, we have also decided to deploy women officers in plain clothes," Singh added.

In response to recurring incidents of communal unrest in state, minority body Muslim Seva Sangathan, alleging govt inaction, has decided to move Uttarakhand HC, appealing to it to "protect minority rights".