A SHOP manager has pleaded with police to help defend his store against repeated attacks by a gang of yobs who have hurled racist abuse at him.

Devananden Diraj and colleagues have suffered around nine separate incidents over the last two months which have included physical assaults, threats, verbal abuse, theft and vandalism.

And in the latest incident Mr Diraj, 27, says he was punched in the face and hit with a wooden pole after he remonstrated with a group of youths blocking his shop entrance.

The store manager, who has run the Premier store in Gain Lane at Fagley, Bradford, for the last eight months, claims police officers could do more to protect him and his shop.

“On Monday, June 29, I was attacked by some youths outside the shop. They were standing around the doorstep of the store. I asked them to leave and rang the police.

“I was punched in the face, on the nose, which caused bleeding. I was hit on the arm with a broom and punched in the chest.”

Later the same day, he said a youth threw a stone which smashed the shop window.

Mr Diraj, originally from Sri Lanka, says the violence and intimidation has left him and other workers very frightened. A male colleague was so upset by the trouble that he left two weeks ago.

Mr Diraj called on police to work harder to catch those responsible.

“I rang 999 on the 29th and the 30th but they didn’t come. When these youths make trouble, I ring the police but they don’t take action."

He said the youths had called him a racist term threatened to smash the shop.

Mr Diraj has CCTV footage which shows him being assaulted outside the store. He is awaiting a visit from police.

In an incident on June 5, also caught on CCTV, a youth can be seen kicking a bin over outside the shop. A still image taken from his CCTV shows a youth holding a stone, his face covered by his T-shirt.

There have also been incidents where stink bombs have been let off in the shop.

The owner of the shop, Arumugam Kalamohan, has prepared a letter to send to the local MP, Imran Hussain, in a bid to get some tough action.

Mr Kalamohan said he did not believe that police were taking the matter seriously enough.

He said: “My staff are so depressed and are planning to leave their jobs. One staff member has already left his job due to this ongoing issue.”

He said: “We have made numerous complaints to the police. Each and every time, they take more than to hour, asking repeated questions for the same issue.

“I would hope if the police receive the same calls from the same site for the same issue, they should take the matter seriously and talk with their parents and school. I don’t think the police are really working on this.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said officers would be speaking to the complaint in a bid to reduce incidents at the shop.

Inspector George Bardell, of the Bradford East Area Neighbourhood Team, said: "Police received an emergency call to a disturbance at premises in Gain Lane, Fagley at around 1.16pm on 30 June, but the line cleared before the situation could be assessed by the call taker.

"A non-emergency call was made from the same premises shortly afterwards and officers attended. No offences were disclosed by the parties at the scene.

"Police were later called by a 27-year-old man who wished to make a complaint of an assault in relation to the earlier incident and an appointment was arranged for this Sunday.

"Police were also called to a disturbance at the same shop the previous evening at about 8.45pm, where the caller mentioned the youths had moved away and no violence had occurred. Officers attended and made a search of the area, but no suspects were identified.

"Emergency calls will always be prioritised, but it is vital that our call takers are able to clarify the circumstances so the correct response can be deployed.

"Our officers will be speaking to the complainant this weekend about his concerns, and will discuss how we can work together to reduce incidents at the premises."

Imran Hussain, Labour MP for Bradford East, called the attacks on Mr Diraj "cowardly".

"These are cowardly and unacceptable attacks on a hard working shopkeeper. The police do need to take action so people can feel safe in their place of employment.

"I don't know what the motive is for these cowardly attacks but they are unacceptable."

Mr Hussain promised to raise Mr Diraj plight with the local police commander.

"I will raise the matter with the police, to ask for swift action so these people can't get away with it. If anybody else is facing similar incidents in Bradford East they should contact me as their MP.

Mr Hussain said he would also contact Mr Diraj to listen to his concerns.