BATHINDA: Medical shops remained closed for few hours on Wednesday against the raids by police and health authorities on late Tuesday evening. The shop owners also held a brief protest and approached the district and police authorities with a plea not to harass the genuine chemists The raids were conducted to control the sale of habit-forming drugs. Bathinda Retail Chemist Association general secretary Pawandeep Grover said, "The chemists are fully with the state government's endeavour of eliminating drug peddling and drug abuse. However, the police in the garb of controlling it should not harass the genuine persons. The police must be knowing the chemists who might be selling habit-forming drugs. Police should conduct raids at the shops of those chemists who are into this illegal act but should not harass the genuine shopkeepers."Grover, a chemist shop owner alleged the police conducted raids on Tuesday evening and tried to harass the shopkeepers and customers. He said, "We approached the deputy commissioner and senior superintendent of police (SSP) and told that most of the chemists sell medicines only on prescription but they need to tighten noose around those who are involved in corrupt practices."Bathinda SSP Swapan Sharma said, "No genuine chemist will be harassed but police will arrest those indulging in sale of habit-forming drugs."

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