GUJRAT, April 8: Traders of Lalamusa main bazaar on Tuesday observed a complete strike and blocked the GT Road for more than two hours against the rise in theft incidents and the indifferent attitude of the area police.

The protesters criticized the Lalamusa city police for its failure to check the rise in theft incidents. They said thieves took away cash and valuables worth more than Rs1 million from three shops during the last 10 days and the city police refused to register cases. The victims have repeatedly requested the area police to register cases and arrest the thieves but to no avail.

They claimed that thieves took away cash and other valuables worth more than Rs2 million from Mohsin Trading Co, Mudassar General Store, Qureshi Dawa Khana, Rizwan Cloth House, Kausar Book Depot and Yousaf Cloth Merchant in and around the main bazaar on Monday night.

The police refused to register cases when they visited police station on Tuesday. They informed their leaders about the matter, and on their instruction, they pulled down shutters of their shops.

They called off their strike and dispersed peacefully when the SP (headquarters) assured them that the thieves would be arrested soon.