Under threat, east Delhi jewellers seek gun licence

NEW DELHI: The east district police have said that they have received applications for gun licences from at least 25 jewellers following the murder of jeweller Gaurav Gambhir in March at Krishna Nagar in east Delhi. “The jeweller’s widow, Surabhi Gambhir, too has applied for a licence. We have processed all the applications and have issued no-objection certificates from our side. All the applications have been forwarded to the licencing wing of the police department for final approval,’’ said DCP (East), O P Mishra.
President of the jeweller’s association, Ashok Seth, supported the move. “Apart from installing CCTV cameras and alarms in our shops, we thought we would need guns to protect ourselves especially after several jewellery shops were targeted,’’ said Seth.
Meanwhile, elder brother of a Geeta Colony businessman – who deals in sliver jewellery and silver wares and had allegedly received extortion calls from the underworld – died of a massive heart attack a couple of days ago following acute stress. Police said that he was depressed after the recent death of a close relative in Rajasthan and that his death has no connection with the calls.
Meanwhile, the silver trader had informed the police that he had started receiving the extortion call on March 28 from Gandhi Nagar area. “The trader (name withheld on request) alleged that he had received the first call on March 25. The caller told him that he and his family members would be killed if he did not pay up Rs 1 crore,” said a senior police officer.
The merchant deals in silver jewellery and vessels and he has a manufacturing unit in Gandhi Nagar. On March 28, after receiving the third extortion call the trader approached the police. The caller again called and said he was aware that the trader had approached the police and threatened to kill him, the officer said.