Family of Sohar victim refuses to take his body

Muscat: The family of a man who died during Sohar protests on Sunday has refused to take his body until people responsible for the act are punished and an apology tendered to the family.

The deceased, Abdullah Gumlasi, who was in early his 20s, ran a small business in his home town of Saham, which is 30km down south from Sohar.

He died when police opened fire on protesters on Sunday after they besieged the Sohar Police Station, demanding release of people held the previous night.

Abdullah's friend told Gulf News from Saham that the family could accept his body on Wednesday.

"He had gone to join the other peaceful protesters and had no intention of rioting," his friend Saeed Al Buraiki said.

Sixth day of protest

Meanwhile, protesters on Wednesday blocked the Globe Roundabout with iron rods, trolleys from a nearby hypermarket, stones and other objects.

The protest entered its sixth day on Wednesday with no sign of any security agencies in the vicinity. On Tuesday, the army had taken over the roundabout from early morning to noon and cleared all protesters but they returned later and have since not moved while army vehicles moved out by 3pm.

A top official of a hypermarket chain in the Middle East denied reports in a local newspaper and on social media that there was any attempt to storm their Khaboura Branch. "Nothing of that sort happened and everything is alright," he said on condition of anonymity.

Panic buying

Residents have started hoarding essential foodstuff and water. The panic has prompted some jewellers to shut their shops in Muscat and those who did business preferred to display jewellery to a minimum.

According to a senior official at a money exchange centre, remittances, especially to India, have gone up by 25 to 30 per cent. With 573,000 Indians residing in Oman legally, the remittances touched around Rs750 million in the last four days.

Meanwhile, Green March protesters continued to camp outside the Majlis Asshura office. An attempt by an elected member to talk to them proved futile when he advised them not to name names in corruption charges levelled by protesters.