Arjumand Wani
PULWAMA, May 30: In an overnight burglary, at least half a dozen shops were looted by thieves in south Kashmir’s Pulwama town.
Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said that the thieves broke into 5 to 6 shops in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday and decamped with goods, cash and other valuables worth lakhs of rupees.
“At around 5 am, I was on my usual morning walk when I found the shutter of my shop open. The burglars had broken it open and ran away with goods” said Mushtaq Ahmad, who runs a shop at famous Chudiyaan Market in the town.
He said that soon after the incident he heard that several other shops in the market had also been looted.
The robbery came like a bolt out of the blue for the traders and businessmen of the town.
The distraught shopkeepers during the day could be seen repairing the shutters of their shops.
Ghulam Mohammad Bhagwan, a wholesale grocery dealer told Kashmir Despatch, “I received a call in the morning about the incident”.
Bhagwan said that he is still assessing the loss.
He, however, added that the police visited his shop in the morning and promised a swift action.
Soon after the burglary, the reports about looting of 20 to 25 shops began doing rounds on the social media.
District police chief Mohammad Yousuf told Kashmir Despatch that only 5 to 6 shops were looted.
“The thieves made an attempt to broke into few other shops but could not succeed.
He said that police has initiated investigation.
Fayaz Ahmad Wani, President Chamber and Commerce Industries Kashmir (CCIK) said that the traders fraternity is in shock.
“We are still assessing the loss”, he said.
