Karnataka Hotels Association demands protection from increasing attacks on hoteliers, seeks government intervention

Association President G.K. Shetty has called upon the State Government and the Police Department to implement stringent measures without delay to avert similar criminal activities in the future. He cautioned that widespread protests across the State would ensue if the assaults on hoteliers persist

The Karnataka State Hotels Association (KSHA) has raised alarms regarding the rising incidents of assaults, homicides, extortion and various other criminal activities targeting hotel and bakery business owners throughout the State especially in rural areas.

Association President G.K. Shetty called upon the State Government and the Police Department to implement stringent measures without delay to avert similar criminal activities in the future. He cautioned that widespread protests across the State would ensue if the assaults on hoteliers persist.

In a press release, he stated that the recent event involving a group of assailants who fatally stabbed a bakery owner, Chetan, with deadly weapons just a short distance from the KRS police station, a well-known tourist attraction in Mandya district, has instilled a sense of fear among Hotel proprietors.

Proprietors of hotels and bakeries are increasingly falling prey to extortion through hafta collection. Those who refused to comply face physical violence and threats to their lives. “Such heinous acts, including murder, are fostering a climate of fear among these business owners. This situation has been characterised as a blemish on Karnataka, a region once celebrated as the garden of peace by the Rastrakavi Kuvempu”, he said.

Hotel and bakery proprietors have been contributing a substantial amount in taxes annually to local authorities, the State Government, and the Central Government in various forms, including trade licenses and GST. The Association submitted a memorandum to Home Minister G Parameshwara.

Mr Shetty urged the government and the Police Department to ensure the safety of hotel and bakery owners, safeguarding both their businesses and lives. Stringent penalties should be imposed on those found guilty and measures should be implemented to avert the recurrence of such incidents.

Published - December 15, 2024 01:49 pm IST