Srinagar, Dec 5: Maharaja Bazar in the City centre observed a shutdown against “unprovoked” police action in this area Monday morning which left some people including a non-local rag-picker boy wounded, reports and witnesses said.
 The shopkeepers of Maharaja Bazar said things were going on smoothly in the morning when a contingency of police led by some senior officials arrived in the area and started beating shopkeepers and passer-byes.
 The shopkeepers said the thrashing was totally unprovoked so much so that even a non-local rag-picker wasn’t spared by the “bully cops”.
 “That young rag picker was hit on his head and he fell on the ground as blood started coming out of his ear,” said a delegation of shopkeepers adding the scene compelled the local women to come out to rescue the boy.
 “But before they (women) would arrive, he was whisked away by police.”
 This prompted the shopkeepers to down their shutters in protest against police action.
 When contacted the Superintendent of Police South City didn’t comment over the Maharaja Bazar issue. “I am in a meeting,” he said and dropped the phone.
 A police official however said “some stone pelting had taken place in the area which prompted police to react.”
 Meanwhile the traders have appealed the MoS Home and local MLA Nasir Sogami to look into the matter at an earliest.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 5 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 5 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST