Ever since Yogi Adityanath took over the administrative control of Uttar Pradesh (UP), criminals are running from pillar to post. Now, he has decided to shut down one of the biggest smuggling hubs in Asia.
Sotiganj Market shut down formally:
Yogi Government has passed a formal order to take decisive action on Sotiganj Market, in Meerut district of UP. The market is particularly infamous for selling stolen cars and auto parts at a cheap rate.
According to various reports available in the public domain, UP Police served a notice under section 91 of CrPC to shopkeepers in the market. The shopkeepers are now required to furnish various details like previous records and GST documents to law enforcement agencies.
Sotiganj is one of the biggest black markets in Asia:
The market is considered to be one of the biggest of its kind in Asia. It has a total of around 300 shops and is said to be providing livelihood opportunities to more than 1,000 people. In a statement, Prabhakar Chaudhary, senior superintendent of Meerut police said, “We have identified 100 shops in the market that are involved in the illegal trade. We will not let them access any goods until they submit stock details,”
The trader’s body named Paschim Uttar Pradesh Vyapar Mandal has decided to take stock of the situation. Demanding that the interests of genuine shopkeepers should be kept in mind, Pandit Ashu Sharma, a member of the aforementioned Vyapar Mandal said, “We will talk to the police on Monday. Traders shouldn’t be harassed like this. Many of them are genuine and have all GST and stock details. Few are into illegal trading and the crackdown should only be limited to them,”
The 1990s saw an outburst of Sotiganj fraud market which later became a cancer:
The current degraded name of the Sotiganj market traces its origin to the 1990s era. During the 1990s, car thieves active in the Delhi-NCR region found a niche market for themselves in Meerut. They started to steal spare parts from dismantled vehicles in the National capital region and transport it to the Sotiganj market. The thieves later expanded their geographical reach in terms of the area covered for stealing cars and spare parts. Slowly, the market became a base for providing employment for otherwise uneducated and gullible youths of the region.
Recently, two kingpins of illegal markets called Galla and Iqbal were arrested by the police, and their properties were seized. Police have deployed more than 200 personnel for conducting a flag march in the now vacant market. This step has been taken in order to quash any chances of violence erupting due to unemployed youths.
Yogi and his war against criminals:
Reported extensively by TFI, after taking the reins of UP, Yogi Adityanath has freed up law enforcement agencies from any political pressure which could stop them from conducting legitimate operations against criminals. This has resulted in encounters of fleeing criminals which in turn translated into improved law and order scenarios in the state. Fearing for their lives, criminals are surrendering in UP jails in order to eliminate any chances of an encounter.
Read more: UP Police sends a clear message to Mafias and their sponsors with the encounter of Vikas Dubey
The shutting down of the Sotiganj market on the same day as the Kashi Vishwanath complex was inaugurated is a clear message to the people of UP. Not only will Yogi Government establish Dharma in the state, but they will also eliminate adharmic elements from people’s vicinity.