Protesting against the brutal murder of Grandhi Manoj Kumar (46), chairman of the Vaibhav Group, in Bangalore, jewellery showrooms and business establishments in Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts downed their shutters on Friday, and demanded that the police initiate stern action against the culprits.
Owners of ewellery shops in both the districts took out massive processions, and raised slogans condemning the brutal murder of Manoj Kumar.
A pall of gloom descended on the Grandhi household at Pandurangapuram in Visakhapatnam, when the body was brought from Bangalore.
Manoj Kumar was allegedly was murdered in a car, and the body was thrown from the ghat road at Tumkur in Karnataka.
Hailing from Eluru in West Godavari district, Manoj moved to Visakhapatnam, and started a small jewellery showroom called Vaibhav Jewellers in 1995.
He also set up V-Square, a jewellery and textile mall, in partnership with his friend Mallik. The mall employs 250 staff, and the Vaibhav Group's turnover is reportedly around Rs. 350 crore.
Manoj had planned to open jewellery showrooms in Vijayawada, Kakinada and Rajahmundry. (INN)