Badodara: In a disturbing incident, vegetable vendors at a local market were allegedly harassed and robbed at knifepoint of Rs. 8,000. While one suspect, Sufiyan Mohammad Hussan Saiyyed, has been arrested, the hunt is on for his accomplice, identified as Jaffar.
According to police, the duo had been extorting money from vendors for weeks, demanding around Rs. 1,200 each. The total sum they collected from at least five vendors amounts to Rs. 8,000.
Acting on a complaint from a vendor, Bapod police station officers, led by Inspector CP Vaghela, apprehended Sufiyan during a patrol while he was attempting another robbery. He has been remanded to judicial custody.
“We received the complaint last week and swiftly apprehended one suspect,” Vaghela said to The Indian Express. “The other, Jaffar, is still at large, and we are actively searching for him.”
Both suspects face charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for robbery (Section 392), along with potentially other offenses.
This incident highlights the vulnerability of small vendors and the need for increased police presence in market areas. The swift action by police in apprehending one suspect is commendable, but the continued search for Jaffar and ensuring the safety of vendors remains a priority.
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