As pre decided thousands of Indian jewellers shut their stores on Wednesday and held demonstration in Mumbai against a rise in burglaries and attacks on gold merchants.

Of late, more than 30 break-ins have been reported by jewellery stores in the Western Maharashtra, and jewellery worth millions of dollars have been stolen.

Isuues related to security of the jewellers, police assistance and government support were raised in the protest.

About 20,000 jewellery store owners and workers from across Maharashtra gathered in Mumbai, carrying placards and banners that urged police to provide security. They also carried pictures of a jeweller bludgeoned to death recently.