Indian businesses raise theft concerns with UK Opposition

<p>London, Feb 7 (PTI): Indian travellers feel they have to "look over their shoulder" in posh London areas as several businesspersons have had their expensive watches and bags mugged, according to a Delhi-based entrepreneur.</p><p>The issue featured during discussions with UK shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, who is in New Delhi for talks on UK-India relations and trade and commerce, attended a meeting of members of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday.</p><p>Indian renewable energy entrepreneur Devin Narang, who chaired the meeting, told Sky News: "We were discussing how to increase business between our two countries and areas of concern, and I mentioned that there were a lot of concerns about Indian CEOs getting mugged. It's happened to a lot of people I know." Narang said Lammy responded by saying it was an "issue that would be addressed".</p><p>The New Delhi-based entrepreneur has not himself been targeted on his many visits to London - but said between five and eight Indian businesspeople have told him they have been mugged in the past few years.</p><p>"One of them got his watch taken, his wrist got slashed and his watch was taken away, where the American embassy used to be in Mayfair," he said.</p><p>"Another had their bag picked up and taken while they were in a store in Oxford Street," he said.</p><p>Narang said friends and family who have visited London in recent years feel like they have to "look over their shoulder" while visiting upmarket places in the city.</p><p>"It's not only Indian people. I am told that people from other countries have also stopped wearing expensive watches and bags, as well as jewellery that might be taken," he said.</p><p>Narang said the muggings are not deterring Indian businesspeople from coming to London, but believes it has made them feel they have to be more careful.</p><p>A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, who supervises the Metropolitan Police, said: “The Met have stepped up their response to robberies — which are rising nationally — and have specialist teams out proactively targeting the most prolific offenders and robbery hotspots.” Lammy and Labour's shadow trade secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, are on a pre-election tour of India.</p><p>"Enjoyed our conversation that covered bilateral cooperation as well as important regional and global developments," said S. Jaishankar in a social media post after meeting the Opposition leaders on Tuesday. PTI AK AMS</p><p><i>(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)</i></p>

from Pakistan Elections: Nation Got Woman PM In 1988, But Voting Still A Distant Dream For Many In This Village https://ift.tt/e0S51Rh
via IFTTT