22 September,2011 07:59 AM IST | | Sayed Roshan
A jewellery shop owner in Andheri paid a heavy price for complaining about illegal hawkers outside his store.
After learning that Joshi, owner of Dev Laxmi jewellers, had complained about the hawkers to the BMC, a group of vandals ransacked his store yesterday.
Ransacked: Joshi claims the hawkers attacked him and hisson with sticks
and also vandalised his store for complaining about them to the officials
Joshi alleges that after their complaints, a BMC van arrived at the store at 2 pm at Andheri (West) and soon after the van left, 4-5 hawkers barged inside his shop and started assaulting him and his son with sticks.
"I have complained to the BMC about the illegal hawking several times in the past but all they do is warn the hawkers or penalise them. Now, I am afraid of complaining about the vendors outside the store as BMC officials have revealed my identity and the hawkers can attack me any time in the future," complained Joshi.
Joshi added that he had filed an FIR against the hawkers involved in the case. Confirming the same, Senior Inspector V Bhoite of DN Nagar police station, said, "A team has been sent to search for and arrest the accused."
Despite repeated attempts to contact Ramesh Powar, K West ward officer and A Khaire, Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Zone IV, they were unavailable for a comment.
