Shimla: Concerns have been raised over the authenticity of documents of Muslim traders from outside states conducting business in Gumma market, Shimla district. The Gumma Vyapar Mandal (business association) has complained to Kotkhai police, flagging the suspicious details of the Aadhar cards of 46 out of 86 traders belonging to the Muslim community. The issue stems from the fact that these 46 traders share the same date of birth—January 1—on their Aadhar cards, raising suspicions of irregularities.
Devendra Singh, President of Gumma Vyapar Mandal, highlighted the concerns, stating that the association has collected all of these traders’ Aadhar cards. The Gumma business community has demanded an investigation into the authenticity of the Aadhar cards, suspecting potential forgery. “The truth behind these Aadhar cards must be uncovered,” Singh emphasized.
He further urged that traders from outside states should be required to submit additional documentation, including bonafide certificates, character certificates, and voter identity cards, to both the Vyapar Mandal and the police station. Singh also demanded that traders should not be allowed to operate their businesses until their documents are thoroughly verified.
Echoing the call for stricter regulations, the Kotkhai Vyapar Mandal has also joined in, submitting a written complaint to the Kotkhai police station. President of Kotkhai Vyapar Mandal, Madan Gangta, along with Vice President Pradeep Ghalta and Secretary Gyan Chand, reiterated the necessity of verifying the credentials of traders and hawkers arriving from other states. They stressed that such inspections should be mandatory before allowing them to conduct any business in the area.
Kotkhai police station in-charge, Ankush Thakur, confirmed receiving the complaints from both business associations. “We have received letters from the Vyapar Mandals, and the matter will be thoroughly investigated. Appropriate action will be taken based on the findings,” Thakur stated.
The ongoing scrutiny comes amid growing concerns in the region about the influx of traders from outside states and the need for stricter document verification to ensure legality and safety in business operations.
