Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand): Nearly 91 traders who came to Dharucha in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district from other states, have been asked to return home. The Dharucha trade union has decided to lock their shops if they do not leave the area.
The move comes after a youth from a minority community, working in a barber shop in Dharchula, abducted two minor girls and took them to Bareilly. Later the girls were rescued and the accused was arrested. The incident occurred on February 1 and has triggered a protest among traders who are demanding that 'outsiders' be banned here.
The trade union held a meeting at a PWD rest house under the chairmanship of trade union president Bhupendra Singh Thapa on Friday. At the meeting, the trade union decided to cancel the registrations of the 91 traders, who came to Dharucha after 2000. These traders were asked not to open their shops from Saturday onwards. The union has threatened to lock the shops of these traders if they did not leave Dharchula immediately.
Trade union general secretary Mahendra Singh Budiyal said that registrations of 'outsider traders' will be cancelled. "With the departure of these traders, local people will get an opportunity to do business here. The building owners have asked these traders to vacate their shops," Budiyal said.
Trade union president Bhupendra Thapa said that 175 traders were given time to provide proof of doing business here before 2000. "While scrutinising the documents it was found that 91 traders came here post 2000. The present unrest in the area is expected to reduce once these traders leave," he said. Patron Kamal Kaushal, vice president Prakash Gunjyal, general secretary Mahesh Garbyal, secretary Ashwini Napalchyal, treasurer Kharak Singh Danu and others namely, Naveen Kharkwal, Rajan Nabiyal and Gajendra Gunjyal were present at the meeting.
The situation in Dharucha has deteriorated since the abduction of the two 15-year-old girls, who are residents of a village in Dharchula. After finding them missing on February 1, their family lodged a missing complaint with Dharchula police station on February 3. It then came to light that a youth named Irfan, who worked in a barber shop in Jauljibi in Dharucha, had lured the girls to Bareilly. The police had arrested the accused and his accomplice from Bareilly and rescued the minor girls home.
After which, locals took out a rally protesting against the incident and tried to close down the shop where the accused worked. The district administration asked police to increase surveillance on social media to keep the situation under control and two cases have been registered in this regard.
Kumaon division DIG Yogendra Rawat said that the legal and statutory rules have to be followed by all. Action will be taken for vitiating the atmosphere, he added.
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