Jharkhand Jewelry Shops Ban Burqa, Hijab, Mask for Entry After UP-Bihar

• Jewelry shop owners in Jharkhand will now refuse service to customers wearing burqas, hijabs, niqabs, ghungats, helmets, or masks, following similar directives in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• Customers must remove face coverings to view or purchase jewelry; failure to comply will result in being treated as a suspect and legal action.
• The decision by Jharkhand Police Headquarters was prompted by increasing criminal incidents, including a failed robbery at a Tanishq store in Bokaro on January 12.
• A circular from the Jharkhand Police Headquarters mandates that no one can enter jewelry shops with a covered face, applying to both men (masks/niqabs) and women (hijabs).
• In Varanasi, the Uttar Pradesh Swarnkar Sangh has also implemented similar rules, citing security concerns and difficulty in identifying masked individuals during crimes.

Why It Matters: Jharkhand, following UP-Bihar, bans face coverings in jewelry shops for security, sparking debate.