PATNA, Jan. 8 -- Amid reports that a section of jewellery shops had decided not to sell gold ornaments to women wearing a veil, the main bullion traders' association on Wednesday issued a clarification, denying any such move. The Pataliputra Jewellers' Association, a nationally registered body established in 1977, said it had come across media reports claiming that jewellery would not be sold to veil-clad or face-covered women, and termed the reports "incorrect". Association president Binod Kumar said the Pataliputra Sarafa Sangh had not issued any guidelines directing its members to refuse the sale or purchase of jewellery from customers wearing a veil. "The association advises all its members to distance themselves from such misleading reports and refrain from making any such statements. Any individual issuing such statements will be personally responsible," he said in a press note. Earlier, the Bihar unit of the All India Jewellers and Goldsmith Federation (AIJGF) had advised its members not to display or sell jewellery to customers entering shops with their faces covered. AIJGF Bihar unit president Ashok Kumar Verma said the decision was taken for security reasons. "We have decided not to sell items to customers who enter shops with their faces covered. Jewellery will not be displayed or sold to women wearing a hijab or to anyone wearing a face mask," he said. He said the move was aimed at ensuring the safety of jewellers and customers, citing several incidents across the country where masked robbers had looted jewellery shops. "If customers enter jewellery shops with their faces covered, identification becomes difficult. The decision will also help police ascertain identities through CCTV footage in case of any theft," Verma added....