Pune: The five men’s gang on Tuesday night destroyed more than 20 hand cards on the vegetable market in Chikhali after vendors refused to pay them RS1,000 per month per trolley as ‘HAFTA’ (money protection).
Chikhali police have registered a case against the suspect under the section 385 (placing people in fear of injury to extortion), 323 (voluntarily causing wounds), 143, 144 and 148 (riots) from the Criminal Code.
Vegetable vendors, Jahiruddin Shah (37), suffering injuries in the incident filed a complaint to the police.
An officer from the Chikhali police said the suspects came to the market around 7:30 a.m.
on Tuesday and demanded RS1,000 per month from the complainant to enable the last to do business on the market.
“When Shah refused, they tried to squeeze money from other vendors.
But no one gave them money,” the officer said, adding that the suspect threatened all vendors and left.
The five men returned after some time carrying sharp weapons and sticks.
“They are abusing and attacking complainant vendors and others.
They damaged more than 20 hand cards on the market, threatening to kill vendors if ‘Hafta’ was not paid and fled,” the officer said.
He said the police had confirmed the identity of all five men.
“We will immediately arrest them,” the officer said.
Damage to Threatening Talawade, two young men broke into the clothing store at Rupinagar on Monday night and demanded “Hafta” from the shopkeeper.
When the shop owner (24) refused to give them money, the duo threatened to damage the store.
“While leaving, they broke the glasses at the counter, and destroyed the autorickshaw windshield and a car parked outside the store,” the officer said.
He said the shopkeeper on Tuesday approached the police and filed a complaint, the officer said.