The Tribune, January 28, 2002

Trader waylaid, Gohana shopkeepers down shutters
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, January 27
Shopkeepers kept their shutters down and observed a complete strike at Gohana, a sub-divisional town 35 km away from here, yesterday in protest against the delay in arresting three youths who allegedly waylaid Mr Prem Dureja, a kiryana merchant, on the eve of the Republic Day.

According to a report, the striking shopkeepers and traders made an attempt to hold up traffic near the old bus stand by sitting on a dharna forcing the police to resort to mild cane charge. They also raised slogans against the government and police. They finally lifted the blockade and ended their dharna on the assurances given by Mr Suraj Bhan Jangra, SDM, and Mr Sham Singh Rana, DSP, that the culprits would be brought to book soon. Mr Prem Dureja, it may be recalled, was shot at and robbed of a bag containing Rs 50,000 by three miscreants while he was on his way to his house along with his servant after closing the shop.

The alleged miscreants came on a motorcycle, waylaid him and fired shots at him when he resisted them. The injured shopkeeper was immediately hospitalised. He is stated to be out of danger. The Gohana police have registered a case of looting against the miscreants and launched a hunt to apprehend them.

According to another report, Dharminder, a 19-year-old youth of Bhanwar village, was reportedly kidnapped by four persons from near the bus stand at Gohana town yesterday. The youth left his house at Bhanwar village for Gohana town on his way to his wife’s house at Jagsi village. When he did not reach the village, the parents suspected foul play. However, around 9 pm they received a telephone call from the youth that he had been kidnapped by four persons.