Chennai: Two days after traders locked up a team of GST officials on duty, more than 500 shops across Sowcarpet, Chennai’s busiest wholesale market, observed a bandh on Saturday.Shops along Mint Street and adjoining commercial areas, including Anna Pillai Street and Narayana Mudali Street, remained closed through the day. Textile, jewellery, stainless steel, toiletries and several other wholesale businesses kept their shutters down, while pharmacies and restaurants alone remained open. Around 15 police personnel were deployed in the area.The locality was crowded despite the shutdown as customers continued to arrive in droves, only to find shops closed.According to officials, the inspection on Thursday began around 4pm at Mahipal Stainless on Mint Street. The team comprised GST superintendent Nishanth, inspectors Azeez and Sushil and three other officials. Around 7pm, nearly 300 traders and members of Steel Market Association gathered outside the premises and surrounded the officials.Traders said the protest was over the way the inspection was conducted. They said officials frequently carried out surprise inspections and that some members of the team did not initially show their identity cards.Vinod Nair, president, Federation of Tamil Nadu Merchants and Manufacturers Associations, said: “We did not confine the GST officials. Of the five people who showed up for inspection, only three had IDs. That was why we were hesitant to disclose any information. Seeing the crowd outside, the officials went inside a room and locked themselves in.”Police arrested Nirwan Jain, son of the proprietor of the shop where the officials were reportedly kept captive.“They detained him because no one else was available. A state-wide protest will be organised if our associate is not released,” Nair added.Ward 57 councillor Rajesh Jain said, “Many people visit the market every day claiming to be officials. Traders only want proper identification and clarity about the purpose,” he said.Police officials stationed at the protest site maintained that all officers at Thursday’s inspection had valid IDs. They said probe was under way to identify and arrest the remaining suspects.
