Strike: Hindu worshippers robbed in Ghotki

All bazaars and business centres throughout Ghotki shut down to protest looting of worshippers at shrine.

SUKKUR: Hindu worshippers were robbed in Shadhani Darbar Hayat Pitafi on Thursday morning, prompting a shutter-down strike in Ghotki district later in the day.

Two armed robbers looted worshippers at the shrine on Thursday morning. They snatched cash and mobile phones from them and tried to take away the donation box but the devotees resisted and forced the robbers to flee.

All bazaars and business centres throughout Ghotki district were shut down to protest the looting. The Mirpur Mathelo police arrested six suspects including Rashid Bozdar and Jalal Bozdar. Groups of Hindus arrived at the Shadhani Darbar and held a meeting to discuss the situation and devise a strategy to find the suspects.

The shrine’s caretaker, Jay Ram Das, said that the robbers came on a motorcycle and began robbing the devotees at gunpoint. “They tried to break the lock on the donation box but I called the police and they fled after they heard the police was coming,” he added. The police chased the culprits but did not manage to catch them.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th,  2011.