KAMALIA - Unidentified thieves broke into five shops and made of with cash and other valuables worth thousands of rupees here the other night.

Police, despite being informed on time, did not reach the spot to investigate the incident which stirred protest in the area.

Talking to media, the shopkeepers said that thieves had broken into a grocery store at vegetable market, Kamalia the other night and made off with Rs8,000 and other valuables. Similarly, four other shops were looted at the same time. Local police were informed by the people of the area but they did not reach the spot.

It angered locals of the area. They staged a protest and shouted slogans against indifference of the police to the public woes. They said that robbery and theft incidents were on the rise in Kamalia tehsil, adding that the police were least bothered to do something practically for the crime eradication.

They demanded the police-ups take notice of the police negligence.