Meerut, July 10 (IANS) Students held a candlelight march, traders burnt effigies of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and all business establishments of this city remained shut Friday as residents of Meerut took to the streets to protest the abduction and murder of a businessman’s teenaged son earlier this month.
Akshay Bansal, the 15-year-old son of leading businessman Devesh Bansal, was kidnapped from Meerut July 3. The abductors called and demanded a ransom of Rs.1 crore (Rs.10 million).

The family lodged a complaint the same day, but the police continued to assure them that they would trace the boy soon. But Akshay’s body was recovered from a canal in Ghaziabad Thursday.

University students carried out a candlelight march, while traders burnt effigies of the chief minister and the director general of police. They also handed over a memorandum to the district magistrate that was addressed to the president.

“The law and order situation in the city has deteriorated. The abductors kidnapped the son of a leading businessman on July 3 and the police, until his body was recovered from Ghaziabad, continued to mislead the family,” said Vijendra Agrawal, president of the Samyukta Vyapar Sangh (traders’ organisation).

“Even the director general of police assured the safe recovery of the boy on his visit to Meerut on July 9, the day his body was found in Ghaziabad. Therefore, we have decided to close down all business establishments to protest against police apathy,” he added.

All shops and restaurants remained shut throughout the day while cinema halls did not screen the first show of the day, said Ajay Gupta, president of the Exhibitors’ Association.

“The students carried out a candle-light march in the city. This was done to pray for Akshay’s soul,” said Raj Kumar Sangwan, a student leader.