Traders to shut down tomorrow against raids at video shops

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 8 (UNI) The traders in Kerala will shut down their shops and other business establishments tomorrow in protest against the ongoing raids at video libraries across the state.

The Vyapari-Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi has given the call for a state-wide hartal protesting against the state-wide raids to unearth pirated CDs.

Alleging that the recent raids were being conducted wih some vested interest, Samithi office-bearers said the police were harassing video library owners. The police were behaving in an irresponsible way, they added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today said the government would go ahead with the ongoing raids against pirated CDs in the state.

The ongoing raids across the state started after Anti-Piracy Cell Inspector General Rishiraj Singh unearthed pirated CDs from Riyan Studio in Kochi, which was owned by the wife of an IPS officer. This even led to certain political turnarounds with the Director-General of Police removing Mr Singh from his post and later reinstating him in the same post on the intervention of the Chief Minister.

After the raids at the Riyan Studio, the Anti-Piracy Cell had been conducting raids across the state and several people had been arrested.

UNI