Maharashtra Jewellers down shutters

Mumbai, May 30 (UNI) About six lakh Jewellers in Maharashtra today downed shutters to demand more security as ornaments worth Rs 10 crore were looted by criminals in the state during the last eleven months, creating a fear-psychosis among traders.

The bandh was spearheaded by Maharashtra Rajya Saraf Mahamandal (MRSM) and All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation.

Assuring Jewellers of swift action against the criminals, deputy chief minister R R Patil said government would give arms licenses to shop-owners, running establishments for more than five years.

A delegation of Jewellers, who called on the minister, said ''we have been assured by Deputy CM that all owners, running shops for five years or more, will be given arms licenses in view of the increasing cases of crimes in the industry.'' The 18-member delegation included members of Maharashtra Rajya Saraf Mahamandal (MRSM) and All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF), and was led by its chairman Ashok Minawala and Fatehchand Ranka, President MRSM.

Meanwhile, the statewide bandh was complete as Jewellers responded to the call in a big way.

Over 25,000 jewellers took part in the 'Shanti Morcha', which was held at Azad maidan this evening.

According to GJF, there were nearly 30 day-light robberies in Maharashtra in the past 11 months, in which jewellery worth Rs 10 crore was looted.

UNI