Markets are completely closed in the entire city of Gohana town in Sonipat, Haryana, as shopkeepers take to the streets to protest against the police and government. Traders are angered by the indiscriminate firing at the Matu Ram Confectionery shop a week ago and the demand for a ransom of Rs 2 crore. All the main markets in the city are closed, and shopkeepers are demanding that the accused miscreants be encountered.
The vegetable market, grain market, private schools, and factories are closed in Gohana. Lawyers have also suspended work in the court today. All sections have supported the announcement of the Gohana bandh. Shopkeepers did not open their shops on Tuesday. Amidst dense fog and cold weather, shopkeepers gathered in the old grain market and started the protest from there.
Shopkeepers are roaming the city in protest, and the entire market is closed. The full effect of the bandh is visible on Rohtak-Panipat Road, Jind Road, Sonipat Road, and other markets from 10 am. Although some shopkeepers came to open their shops, others pulled down the shutters of their shops during the protest.
Miscreants had opened fire on the shop of the famous confectioner Lala Maturam of Gohana and demanded a ransom of Rs 2 crore. Not all the accused have been arrested yet. Gohana city has been closed in protest against the working style of the police administration, with shopkeepers demanding an encounter with the accused.
Regarding the bandh in Gohana, traders held a meeting on Monday to prepare for the bandh. Before this, BJP leader and Olympian Yogeshwar Dutt also reached Maturam’s shop. Police also arrested two more miscreants in the case, but the traders did not postpone the decision of the bandh. Two days ago, the State President of Haryana State Trade Board, Bajrang Das Garg, had reached Gohana and made serious allegations against the police and the government, announcing a Gohana bandh on January 30th.
The Jalebi of Maturam in Gohana is famous all over the country. Matu Ram Confectionery Shop is at Shiv Chowk near Purani Mandi. Now his grandson Neeraj is managing the shop.
Three miscreants riding a bike had fired 40 to 50 rounds at the shop on the morning of January 21st. In this incident, Dudhiya Bijendra was injured due to a bullet.
The miscreants had put up a form for ransom of Rs 2 crore in the name of the Bhau Gang. Heavy police force has been deployed at the shop since the incident. Following the bandh call by traders, on Monday, BJP leader and Olympian Yogeshwar Dutt reached Matu Ram’s confectionery shop and met the traders, seven days after the incident. He said that he is with the shopkeepers. Later, the traders called a meeting.
The matter was considered afresh in the Satsang Bhawan meeting, but the traders remained adamant on the bandh. The police are also under pressure due to firing at Maturam confectionery shop, extortion, and the call for the Gohana bandh. The police have already arrested a minor youth in this case. On Monday, the police arrested Sagar, a resident of the village Sundana district Rohtak, and Sajjan alias Kala, a resident of the village Balsamand district Hisar. Accused Sagar has been brought from Jhajjar jail, and Sajjan from Ajmer (Rajasthan) jail on production warrant. Both have been taken on remand.
