Jamshedpur MLA Saryu’s Sakchi Market visit sees extortionists run for cover

Do not pay any extortion money, inform BJM office: MLA to shopkeepers

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Jan 17: Vegetable sellers from Patamda, Bodam and other nearby rural areas set up makeshift stalls at the parking area opposite Basant Talkies to earn their daily bread. But extortionists make life miserable for these vendors who have to cough a comparatively high amount to these goons. Jamshedpur East Assembly MLA, Saryu Roy, on learning about the harassment caused to these vegetable sellers by goons, visited the Sakchi parking lot vegetable market and personally enquired about the misery of villagers who come to sell their field products. The MLA arrived at 7 am on Monday and held talks with the vegetable sellers in the course of which he was told that extortionists collected about Rs 50,000 per day from these hapless villagers.

Sensing trouble, the extortionists made themselves scarce by escaping but three were caught and handed over to the Sakchi police. Saryu Roy called the Sakchi PS OC and asked if he was aware of extortionists making hay right under the nose of the men in khaki. Roy summoned the Sakchi PS OC to the market. On reaching the vegetable market, he was confronted by the MLA who did not mince words while reprimanding the police official. The OC said that till date, none had complained to the Sakchi PS about the extortion racket going on in the vegetable market. Saryu Roy asked the OC, “What is your source of information? As a first step, take immediate action by registering me as a complainant.”

The [police got into immediate action and along with the MLA and officials of the Bharatiya Jantantra Morcha asked the vegetable vendors not to give any money to the extortionists and If anyone demanded money, they were to inform the BJM office and the Sakchi police station. The BJM office bearers gave their phone numbers to the vendors.

MLA Saryu Rai said that he was constantly receiving complaints of henchmen of certain political parties collecting between Rs 50 and Rs 100 from each vegetable vendor. “Sadly, the Sakchi police are not aware of these extortionists.  Another factor that has overwhelmed me is that there was no one to protest the activities of these goons who extort money from these poor vegetable vendors. When I was informed of the nefarious deeds, I could not restrain myself from gauging the actual nature of financial pressure being unleashed on these vendors,” and told the vegetable sellers, “I will not allow any kind of corrupt and offensive deeds to occur in my constituency. You come from such distant places to sell your vegetable produce and take home some money for your sustenance. Do send complaints without any fear. Do not allow these goons to pester you. Do not be cowed down by them. If, after today, any complaint of extortion is reported, neither I nor the BJM office bearers will sit silently but will immediately take steps to prevent such misdeeds.”

 MLA Saryu Roy said that he had informed the JNAC Special Officer Krishna Kumar and City SP Subhash Chandra Jat  about the affairs at the Sakchi parking lot vegetable market. He said, “I have also told the Sakchi police OC not to summon any shopkeeper to the police station but to inform me. I will go, if needed and defend these vegetable vendors.”

In the same sequel, in an effort to threaten Saryu Roy by adopting the guise of a journalist, Dipak Pandey told the legislator, “I am a journalist doing news coverage for two channels,” but when challenged by Saryu Roy by asking for the fake journalist’s registration documents, he was not able to answer. In fact, Dipak Pandey who too was accused of extracting money from the vegetable sellers in the name of being a journalist, slipped away from the scene.  

According to the vegetable vendors, the gang of extortionists was being supported by the parking contractor.

Those who accompanied Saryu Roy to parking lot vegetable market opposite Basant Talkies on Monday included BJM District President Subodh Srivastav, Eastern Assembly constituency Convener Ajay Sinha, General Secretary Kulwinder Singh Pannu, secretary Rajesh Kumar Jha, Vikas Gupta, Treasurer Dharmendra Prasad, MLA Representative (Business Affairs) and Jamshedpur unit Spokesperson Akash Shah, Sakchi Representative Joginder Singh and other BJM leaders Durga Rao, Shambhu Jha and others.