Bihar Jewellery shops to bar entry for customers wearing hijabs, burqas, masks from Jan 8

Jewellery stores across Bihar will begin refusing entry to customers whose faces are fully or partially covered, including those wearing hijabs, niqabs, burqas, masks or helmets. The directive has been issued by the All India Jewellers and Gold Federation (AIJGF) as a precautionary measure in response to a rise in thefts and robberies targeting jewellery outlets.

The rule will be enforced statewide starting January 8. Many shop owners have already placed ‘No Entry’ notices outside their establishments, with such signs seen at several jewellery stores in Patna on Wednesday.

Traders say jewellery shops have increasingly become vulnerable to crime, particularly due to the sharp increase in gold and silver prices. A jeweller explained that the step is aimed solely at ensuring the safety of store owners, employees and customers. Entry will be permitted only after individuals remove any face coverings.

Jewellers’ associations have clarified that the restriction applies uniformly to all customers, regardless of gender. Notices displayed outside shops state that no buying or selling will be allowed if a customer keeps their face covered.

The measure has already come into effect in some parts of Bihar. In Muzaffarpur, traders at the historic sarafa market on Puri Bazaar Road implemented the rule on Wednesday. Similar notices have also been reported from markets in Darbhanga.

Responding to concerns, Samastipur MP Shambhavi Chaudhary urged people not to interpret the move in religious or social terms. She said the restriction covers all types of face coverings, including helmets and masks, and should be viewed purely as a security-related decision.

Bihar’s move follows similar steps taken in other parts of the country. Sarafa traders in Jhansi have adopted comparable restrictions after multiple theft incidents. In Mathura, religious leader Dinesh Falahari Maharaj has written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking limits on face-covered entry in markets to prevent robberies. Traders in Amethi have also displayed notices requesting customers to reveal their faces before entering shops.

Jewellery associations have said the policy may be reviewed in the future, but for now, uncovering one’s face will remain mandatory for entry into jewellery stores across Bihar.