NEW DELHI: Amid a tense standoff between India and China at Doklam, Chinese shoes packed in Tricolour boxes drew wrath in Uttarakhand’s Almora.
The local shopkeepers in Uttarakhand’s Almora informed the police that they had been delivered shoes in boxes bearing the Tricolour, allegedly from China following which police have started investigation.
Almora Senior Superintendent of Police P. Renuka Devi said putting the shoes in boxes with the national flag was an insult to the Tricolour.
The boxes have the Tricolour on top and the base carries some letters in Mandarin, police said, triggering speculation among locals that the move was aimed at humiliating Indians.
Renuka Devi said putting the shoes in boxes with the national flag was an insult to the Tricolour and that they were investigating the matter.
Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Sadanand Date said the police questioned the owner of Tammana Traders in Rudrapur, who said that he bought the shoes from a distributor in Delhi and did not know their place of origin.
“We would be questioning the dealer in New Delhi to ascertain the origin of these shoes”, said the SSP.
The case has been filed by the shopkeeper Bishan Bora against the shoe supplier of Rudrapur. Bora claimed as soon as he opened the consignment, he found only seven shoe pairs in a proper box and the rest of the pairs came in the Tricolour box.
“I received the goods on Thursday and when I opened the bags, I was shocked. I called the police, sensing something wrong,” said Bora, who filed the initial complaint.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district president of Almora Lalit Latwal asserted the administration swung into action after he intervened.
“As soon I received information about the consignment, I immediately requested administration to forfeit the boxes and act against those who are involved in insulting Indian flag. It looks like a bigger conspiracy. The party workers will keep an eye on the case until those culprits are not arrested” Latwal said.