Market close for three days

TURA, JAN 10: In the aftermath of the IED blast that rocked Williamnagar on Saturday traders from the main Williamnagar market decided to close shops for the coming three days beginning from today.

“We will not open shops until Wednesday in protest against what happened yesterday. We are all scared and want assurances from the government as well as local police before reopening. This is not the first time that something like this has happened and we cannot be living on the edge throughout our lives”, said secretary of the main market association, HB Sangma.

The market has had numerous scares in recent times with the last one coming before the Saturday blast just about a month ago when a grenade was lobbed but failed to explode. The last incident happened just about 20 metres from where yesterday’s incident took place.

Sangma castigated the police for their approach to ensuring safety. Intelligence sources had warned of an incident just a day prior and there had been checking all across town. Traders, however, felt yesterday’s incident could have been avoided if there was information provided to them as well.

“They should have informed us about the threat so that we could also have been on the lookout for any stray bags. Unless they trust us with information how will this be controlled”, asked a trader.

“We had asked for the installation of CCTVs in the market side so that things became available for investigation later. The state has not really taken this seriously and we are the ones who are now the sitting ducks”, added Sangma.

“We have been asking for a permanent watch by the police in the Sampalgre and Warima road areas as these miscreants come through these two roads. While the police mans the area a few days after our requests, they stop after some days leaving the road vulnerable”, said a trader.

The problem for the traders does not end there. “The police are unable to provide security for us but when we pay money demanded to us then they arrest us saying we are supporting militancy. Who wants to give his hard earned money but when the police cannot provide security, do we keep risking our lives. They are able to carry out these acts on a random basis, so where is the security. We all have families to look after. How good will it be if we are dead”, added another.-From Our Correspondent