Over 100 shops sealed under court orders

HYDERABAD: More than 100 shops operating on police-owned property in Hyderabad were sealed late Monday night, leading to protests by traders and rising tensions between shopkeepers and police in the Chhoti Ghitti area.

According to Hyderabad District Police spokesperson State Officer Salahuddin, a police team led by him, along with a large contingent, sealed around 100 shops located near City Police Station at Chhoti Ghitti in compliance with Supreme Court orders.

After news of the sealing operation spread, shopkeepers gathered at the site, where a heated argument and a reported clash occurred between traders and police officials.

Authorities later completed the sealing process, prompting traders to gather outside City Police Station and hold a protest, chanting slogans against the action.

The affected shopkeepers said there had been no ongoing dispute over the shops and alleged that the matter was unnecessarily taken to court. They stated that the case is currently pending before the Supreme Court, with the next hearing scheduled for July 10, 2026.

Traders claimed they had paid all outstanding dues related to the shops but were still removed without any prior notice during a late-night operation. They said valuable goods worth millions of rupees remained inside the sealed premises and warned of wider protests if the shops were not reopened.

Several political figures visited the traders’ protest camp, including MQM-P MNA Syed Waseem Hussain, MPA Rashid Khan and Hyderabad Jamaat-e-Islami leader Hafiz Tahir Majeed, who expressed support for the affected shopkeepers.

On Tuesday, traders set up a protest camp outside the sealed shops, where shopkeepers and employees remained present. Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Adeel Siddiqui, PTI Hyderabad district president Mohsin Ghuman, Advocate Faisal Mughal and other representatives also visited the camp.

Siddiqui said the issue had emerged due to a communication gap and noted that police properties across 15 districts were subject to reports being submitted before the Supreme Court. He said the chamber had met SSP Hyderabad Shahzeb Chachar, who assured cooperation, and added that traders would present their concerns through legal counsel during the upcoming hearing.

He described Chhoti Ghitti as a central commercial area of Hyderabad and said traders had suffered significant financial losses due to the closure of the shops.

SSP Hyderabad Shahzeb Chachar said the action was taken following Supreme Court directives requiring police properties to be taken into official custody and a compliance report to be submitted.