Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 02 2009:
Shopkeepers and businessmen of Khurai Lamlong Bazar in Imphal east Monday marched on the street from the market place to DC office, Imphal east against the monetary demand served on them by an underground group.
The shops and business establishments at Khurai Lamlong Bazar are remaining shutting since yesterday after they were asked pay the extortion demand serves on them by a underground group.
The same will continue till tomorrow, according to the shopkeepers.
"The militant group is demanding payment of Rs 10,000 each from each shops located in the Bazar and its surrounding areas as annual "tax" payable to the them," a shopkeeper who do not want to named said.
More than 100 shops and other business establishments are there and some youths said to be members of the outfit around a week back asked each shops to pay the amount they demanded by February 1, he added.
The amount is very huge to them as they are not the only group demanding money.
Most of the groups operating in both hills and valley areas are serving and collecting money to say openly, he said adding that above this, shops are with small investments.
Most of the investments are also with the loans avail from the banks, the shopkeepers said.
On the day which they fix as deadline to meet their demand, they come to some shops yesterday and pressed them to pay the amount they had asked for.
Since then all shops closed down due to fear of any untoward incident, they added.
Around 100 shopkeepers and businessmen of the market place today at around 10 am organized a rally in protest against the monetary demands.
At the concluding part of the rally, they also lodged a complaint to the DC while informing that they could not run there business peacefully owing to the extortion demand.
They also requested the DC for taking up appropriate action for safeguarding the life of shopkeepers and businessmen and provide security to prevent any untoward incident arising out of non-payment of the money to the banned militant outfit.