Traders' bandh turns violent; three killed

Three persons were killed, two of them in police firing, and scores of people including security personnel injured as the traders' bandh against MCD's sealing drive turned violent in many parts of the capital today.

The worst-hit region was Seelampur in North-East Delhi where a seven-year-old boy, a teenager returning from school and a man were killed and about 50 policemen, including the area Deputy Commissioner of Police Devesh Shrivastava, were injured.

Police said the teenager and the man were killed in firing by them, but it was not immediately confirmed whether the boy was victim of police firing or bandh violence. The boy has been identified as Ashraf. The bodies of the three have been kept at Guru Tegh Bahadur hospital. "They were brought dead. Two of bodies bore bullet injuries," a source in the hospital told PTI.

The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the violence and police firing and assured adequate compensation for all the victims.

Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed in several areas to bring the situation under control and prohibitory orders were clamped in Seelampur and adjoining regions, where an uneasy calm prevailed.

Various political parties didn't desist from gaining political mileage out of the bandh. The BJP which supported the bandh declared it a success for the party even though no leader of the party was visible on the streets besides Delhi unit chief Harshvardhan and former MP Vijay Goel.

"Today's Delhi bandh is the last warning to central and Delhi governments to bring appropriate legislative measures after adequate homework to relieve the suffering of traders," said Prakash Javadekar, BJP spokesperson.

Traders under the banner of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) have called a 'Mahapanchayat' on September 24 to discuss the issue of sealing. Political outfits like BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal and the Swadeshi Jagran Manch have supported the traders.

Over hundred protesters have been detained across the capital. Traffic was blocked in several areas, including Vikas Marg near Preet Vihar, Rohini, Jail Road, Madhuban Chowk, Palam-Dabri road, Ashram, Chirag Delhi and South Extension. Agitating traders also pelted stones at DTC buses at many places, including Dabri, Janakpuri and Wazirabad.

Incidents of stone-pelting were also reported from New Ashok Nagar, Khajuri Khas, Shakarpur, Madhuban Chowk, Mayur Vihar, Lakshmi Nagar, Ashram, Mayapuri, Dabri and Dwarka.

Delhi BJP chief Harshvardhan along with a number of party activists was detained as he protested against the sealing drive in East Delhi.

According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), more than seven lakh traders of Delhi downed their shutters in response to the bandh call given by it.

"The trade bandh has caused a business loss of about Rs 200 crore and a revenue loss of about Rs 15 crore for the Delhi government today," said CAIT General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal.

Wholesale markets as well as retail outlets in Cannaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Kamla Nagar, Karol Bagh, Sadar Bazaar, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Green Park, Shahdara, Rohini and other places were closed, he said.