Rs 16 flash sale draws thousands, triggers law-and-order scare in Kanpur

A 16-minute flash sale announced by a Kanpur shopkeeper drew 3,000-4,000 people to his store, creating a law-and-order problem late on August 15. Rais Alam, owner of a hosiery shop in Alam Market in the Anwarganj locality, posted a video on social media at 11:59 pm on his son's birthday, offering all ready-made garments, suits, jeans, shirts, for Rs 16, with the sale running for exactly 16 minutes.

The Siasat Daily reports that the video reached thousands within minutes. Long queues formed, and some impatient people tried to push their way in, creating a stampede-like situation. Alam locked his shop, fled the scene, and left his brother at the entrance. Police from Anwarganj and Begumganj stations and Assistant Commissioner of Police Manjay Singh arrived and used loudspeakers and batons to control the crowd.

Police took Alam's brother to the station for questioning. ACP Singh said the crowd gathered without permission and created a law-and-order issue. He confirmed that action will be taken against the shop owner under the law.