Extortion creeps into Pune’s everyday life—milk vendor assaulted, shopkeeper looted. Honest livelihoods face threats from local miscreants; growing fear urges stronger protection for city’s smallest yet most vital earners.
Pune: Every chai tapri, milk stall, and corner shop is built with sweat, not shortcuts. When extortion becomes a “monthly routine,” and a young man selling milk is beaten for saying no—it’s not just a crime, it’s an attack on decency.
In a disturbing turn for small business owners across Pune, two separate cases of extortion have come to light, revealing how street-level intimidation is now threatening even the most hardworking citizens.
In Lashkar area a local shopkeeper operating in the busy Center Street area found himself cornered by a man demanding monthly payments. The accused, Arbaaz Mainuddin Qureshi (28), a resident of Bhimpura, allegedly threatened to kill him if the “installment” wasn’t paid. Eventually, the businessman was robbed of ₹15,800 in cash. Terrified, he sought immediate help from Lashkar Police, leading to the arrest of Qureshi.
Just days later, another troubling case emerged from Guruvar Peth. A young entrepreneur selling Jai Ganesh Masala Milk near Nataraj Hotel was allegedly attacked by Mangesh Pokale (40), from Dhayri, when he refused to pay illegal monthly fees.
The vendor was reportedly beaten with an iron rod on April 27, and a formal case has been registered at Swargate Police Station.
These cases paint a grim picture of how even the smallest, most honest businesses are becoming targets of street extortion.
Such cases aren’t just police matters; they reflect a climate of fear where working-class citizens are forced to pay to do honest business. How do you protect your dream when violence knocks at your stall?
Businessmen aren’t asking for favors—just safety.
When a man is forced to hand over hard-earned cash or a vendor bleeds for denying extortion, society fails them. It’s time we recognize these crimes for what they are: attempts to choke the spirit of self-employment. And that demands not just arrests—but strong, visible protection for our everyday entrepreneurs.