Kashmir Wire

Srinagar

Anguished over the alleged failure of the administration to curb the increasing cases of theft, President of Traders Federation Sopore, Mohammad Ashraf Ganai, on Tuesday gave a call for shutdown on Wednesday in the town to wake up the administration from the “deep slumber”.

“I appeal people of Sopore to observe a complete shutdown tomorrow so that the administration will wake up from the deep slumber, Ganai told reporters after a mysterious fire incident damaged at least 12 shops and a restaurant in the town near the general bus stand in the wee hours.

He alleged that more than two dozen shops were gutted in a fire mishap which was first looted by burglars and then set ablaze.

Ganai said that administration has completely failed to save the town from” miscreants who were not only burning shops but were looting them as well”.

“The strike call is against the rising theft incidents in Sopore town. Recently one of our colleague, owner of a gold jewellery shop, went missing and police is unable to trace him. There is a total failure from administration”, Gania alleged.

He alleged that 25 shops including the office of Traders Federation were looted and set ablaze. “25 shops were looted during the intervening night of January 1-2 and set ablaze. One complex housing 12 shops and a restaurant in Bus stand Sopore were completely gutted in fire before being looted by miscreants”, the president of the traders said..

According to reports mysterious fire engulfed and damaged one dozen shops and a restaurant. “The fire mysteriously broke out from a poultry shop of Manzoor Ahmad Khan and spread to nearby shops at about 5.30 AM, sources said.

Consequently, one restaurant and a dozen shops were completely damaged and goods worth lakhs of rupees was also destroyed.

However, fire tenders with the help of locals rushed to the spot to douse the flames.

There was no casualty reported in the accident, the officials said.

The gutted shops were owned by the shopkeepers dealing in hosiery, plastic goods and other products.

“We noticed the smoke this morning and soon leaping flames erupted from some of the shops”, said a shopkeeper residing nearby the scene of the fire.

The cause of the fire was not known, the sources said. (Kashmir Wire)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here