Cloth shop owner assaulted, shop set afire in alleged extortion case

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A cloth shop owner in Lotakaranja area was allegedly assaulted and his shop set on fire by a group of six men on April 13. The incident is said to be a result of the shop owner refusing to pay extortion money.

According to the police complaint filed by the victim, Wajed Bashwan Amar Bashwan, who owns Chahat Collection, a group of men including Murtuja Khan alias Appi, approached him and demanded Rs 5,000. The accused threatened the shop owner and upon refusal, resorted to violence. Bashwan was beaten up by the accused, who then called in others to ransack the shop and throw out merchandise. The situation escalated further when the accused allegedly threatened to burn down the shop and went on to set fire to clothes within the store, causing an estimated at Rs 40,000.

A case has been registered in the City Chowk police station against Murtuja Khan, Waleed Khan, Unes Khan Murtuja, Aman Nisar Khan, Musa Khan, and Arbaaz Mohammad Khan (all residents of Lotakaranja). The police are further investigating the case.