Gurugram: Car washers go to cops as goons threaten, extort money

GURUGRAM: Till now we mostly heard of goons extorting money from vegetable or fruit sellers and shopkeepers, but now the goons have expanded their ambit. Car washers too have come on their radar.
Several car washers, working in societies located along the Dwarka Expressway, have now approached the police as these strongmen or goons are asking for a share from their earning.
Apsar Ali, who works as car washer at a residential society in Sector 110A, said he has been receiving calls from two numbers from the past few days and the callers have been threatening him. “The caller is asking me to share my income with him. Many of us have received such calls. They have also threatened to physically harm us,” Ali said.
Rasaul, another car washer, who works in Sector 109, said few local goons and a strongman are threatening them to either share part of their income or move out of the area.
When TOI spoke to a few residents in the new sectors, one Sudhir Mishra, who resides in Sector 103,said goons from adjoining villages have started extorting money from car washers. “It has become a new problem in the area,” he said.
The residents claimed that the goons wait on motorcycles outside the residential colonies and do not let the car washers enter if they refuse to pay the extortion money. This has triggered fear among car washers and residents. “The goons are forcing car washer to work as their employees in a bid to control these businesses,” said Animesh Sharma, resident of sector 109.
Gurugram police spokesperson Subhash Boken said the issue has been brought to the notice of the department and police presence has been increased in these areas.