Business in Seelampur suffers due to protest

New Delhi: The violent protest in Seelampur not only damaged public properties but also affected small businesses in the area. On the other hand, police maintained a tight vigil to ensure that the situation remained under control even as uneasy calm prevailed in the area. A day after the violence, shops were opened, traffic was as usual in the area and Delhi Police with paramilitary personnel were patrolling the area in groups to ensure the situation remains peaceful.

Near GT Road intersection, the place where the violence took place on Tuesday, Haji Shakil, a businessman was sitting with his friends inside a shop, said, "I have a business of steel sheets. After this incident, my labourers are leaving for their respective villages as they are frightened and this will affect my business."

Jabbar, a labourer was among those who was returning to his home after the incident. "What happened on Tuesday was horrific. I am going back to Aligarh once the situation is back to normal in the city I will return," he said. Another businessman Mohammad Ali said, due to the protest the market was closed which resulted in monetary loss.

According to a businessmen, comparing to other days there were fewer customers on Wednesday. "Reason might be that they (customers) are thinking that the situation is still tense and that's why they are avoiding the Seelampur market. The current situation is hampering our business," said Arif, another businessman and resident of Seelampur area. Many of the labourers who are employed in the area are dependent on their day-to-day earning and if the market is closed it becomes tough for them to survive, said Mamchand, who runs a shop of iron sheets.

Meanwhile, the horrific Seelampur violence was captured in different videos, CCTV cameras and drone. In the videos it was seen that the protesters were damaging buses, trying to torch motorcycle and pelting stones. According to police, after minutely observing the footages, arrests were made. An investigator told Millennium Post that one of the accused had made a video of himself while committing the violence.