The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), an apex organisation representing traders and entrepreneurs in Delhi, on Wednesday wrote an open letter to the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeking a 20-minute meeting with him to discuss the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan.

In the letter, CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal made a proposal involving 20 representatives from 20 major wholesale markets located near Ramlila Maidan, asking Rahul Gandhi to spare 20 minutes for a discussion on the potential impact of the rally on business activities in the national capital.

The CTI has proposed that if Rahul Gandhi can convince the traders during the meeting that the proposed mega rally, expected to draw one million people, would boost business and expand their customer base, the organisation would immediately withdraw its opposition and welcome the event.

However, if the traders convince Rahul Gandhi that the rally would adversely affect business in the 20 major markets surrounding Ramlila Maidan, he should postpone it until after Diwali in the public interest.

“We want dialogue, not a fight,” Goyal said.

He added that Rahul Gandhi often speaks about listening to everyone, including small traders, and that the proposed meeting would provide an opportunity to hear their concerns.

“Rahul Gandhi himself says that he listens to everyone and hears the voices of small traders. So, we, the traders from 20 markets, are asking him for 20 minutes. This would be the beauty of democracy,” Goyal said.

According to the CTI, the 20 markets fall within a radius of one to five kilometres of Ramlila Maidan and could face disruptions on the day of the rally.

The markets include Chandni Chowk, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Sadar Bazaar, Chawri Bazaar, Kashmere Gate, Nabi Karim, Karol Bagh, Ajmeri Gate, Daryaganj, Nai Sadak, Kinari Bazaar, Dariba Kalan, Fatehpuri, Naya Bazaar, Filmistan, Paharganj, Gaffar Market, Jama Masjid-Meena Bazaar and Lajpat Rai Market.

These markets represent a wide range of businesses, including wholesale electronics, electrical goods, spices, dry fruits, garments, jewellery, books, stationery, machinery, auto parts, furniture, timber, mobile phones, crockery and grocery items.

The CTI said the rally could affect traders’ business operations due to the anticipated crowd, traffic restrictions and possible diversions in the surrounding areas.

In its letter, the organisation also referred to Rahul Gandhi’s message of promoting love and harmony, saying traders respected his efforts but were concerned about the potential impact of the rally during the festive season.

“Rahul ji, you open a shop of love in the market of hatred, we respect you, but do not close the shop of love in the market of Diwali. We are the traders who are the true face of your shop of love,” the letter stated.

The CTI expressed hope that Rahul Gandhi would accept its request for a 20-minute meeting to discuss the November 1 rally and its possible consequences for traders in Delhi’s major commercial hubs.

The Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of Delhi Police’s Shahdara district arrested a 23-year-old habitual auto-lifter allegedly involved in multiple two-wheeler theft and snatching cases, officials said on Wednesday.

The police also recovered four stolen vehicles and solved four motor vehicle theft cases across Shahdara, Central and South districts.

The accused, identified as Ritesh alias Piyush Tinku, a resident of Paharganj in Delhi, was apprehended on October 24 near a petrol pump on the Dilshad Garden-Ghaziabad DLF carriageway, within the jurisdiction of Vivek Vihar police station, following specific intelligence, according to the police.

At the time of his arrest, the accused was allegedly found in possession of a black motorcycle. Police verification revealed that the motorcycle had been reported stolen in an e-FIR registered at Patel Nagar police station in Central District on September 18.

The operation was launched after police received reports of recent two-wheeler thefts in Shahdara district. A dedicated AATS team was formed to identify and apprehend those involved in the offences. The team analysed CCTV footage, conducted field enquiries, developed local intelligence and deployed personnel in plain clothes to track suspected auto-lifters.

During interrogation, Ritesh allegedly disclosed his involvement in other vehicle theft cases.

Acting on the information provided by him, the police recovered three more stolen two-wheelers, taking the total recovery to four.

The recovered vehicles include a white scooter, a black motorcycle and a blue scooter, in addition to another motorcycle. Verification linked the vehicles to theft cases registered at Hauz Khas police station in South District and Vivek Vihar and Anand Vihar police stations in Shahdara District.

With these recoveries, the police said they had worked out four motor vehicle theft cases spanning three districts. All four cases were registered under Section 305(B) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the police, Ritesh is a Class IX dropout who lives with his family. Available records indicate that he has been apprehended by different police stations in Delhi since 2024 in connection with motor vehicle theft and snatching cases.

The accused was recently released from judicial custody on October 12 and allegedly resumed stealing two-wheelers thereafter, police said.

Police records show that he has previously been involved in 17 cases related to snatching and motor vehicle theft.

Further legal proceedings are underway.

The Northern Range Traffic Police team registered three FIRs against commercial vehicle operators for allegedly using fake No Entry Permissions (NEPs) during a special enforcement drive conducted at Delhi’s border areas amid the implementation of Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The drive was conducted on October 27, on the directions of Dr. Sachin Kumar Singhal, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Northern Range, to check commercial vehicles and ensure compliance with traffic regulations.

During the operation, three commercial vehicles were found allegedly using fake NEPs. Subsequently, three FIRs were registered at the respective police stations under Sections 318(2) and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as applicable.

In the first case, vehicle number DL1LAC3219, driven by Vikram, 38, son of Kamlesh, was found using NEP number 221120255308406. An FIR (No. 622/26) was registered under Section 318(2) of the BNS at Alipur police station.

In the second case, a Tata Ace bearing registration number DL1LAQ4160, driven and owned by Santosh, son of Motilal, was found using NEP number 10112025S295772. An FIR (No. 623/26) was registered under Section 318(2) of the BNS at Alipur police station.

In the third case, vehicle number DL1LAG4982, driven by Gaurav Kumar, son of Ashok Kumar, was found using NEP number 19012023S165940. An FIR (No. 916/26) was registered under Sections 318(2) and 340(2) of the BNS at Samaypur Badli police station.

The vehicles and the persons concerned were handed over to the local police for further legal action.

The enforcement drive comes amid deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of GRAP with effect from October 21 after air quality entered the ‘Poor’ category.

Delhi’s air quality remained ‘Poor’ on Wednesday, with the city-level Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 250 at 8 a.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s All India AQI portal.