Birgunj, April 5:

Under pressure from Home Minister Kamal Thapa, Forest Minister Salim Miya Ansari, Industry Minister Buddhi Man Tamang and two other assistant ministers, the Birgunj chambers of commerce and industry has called off its “silent protest” rally that was scheduled for today.

Demanding action against the Indian criminal gang involved in an attack on industrialist Ramesh Kedia and calling for fool-proof security to the business sector, local industrialists and businessmen had announced the silent protest rally.

“The aim of our agitation was to draw the attention of the government towards industrial security,” president of the chamber Bijay Sarawagi said after the decision to call off the rally. “We backtracked after the Home Minister assured us he will take steps to beef up security after April 9.”

A seven-member security team has been mobilised under the command of a sub-inspector to arrest the gang which attacked industrialist Ramesh Kedia, said head of the Narayani zonal police office, SSP Manoj Kumar Shah.