Kashipur/Srinagar: A Kashmiri shawl seller was allegedly assaulted and forced to chant religious slogans by some unknown individuals here, police said on Friday.
A case has been registered and some suspects in the matter have been detained, they said.
A purported video of the incident that occurred on December 22 also surfaced on social media platforms, prompting police to take action in the matter, they said.
Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Manikant Mishra said that as soon as the video surfaced, the police immediately took action and had the video removed from the social media platforms to prevent any kind of social tension.
The shawl seller and complainant, Bilal Ahmed (30), said that six unknown individuals stopped him in front of Ujala Hospital in Manpur area and allegedly forced him to chant religious slogans. When he refused, they verbally abused and assaulted him.
According to the complaint, the accused also tried to snatch the warm clothes and cash he had with him and threatened to kill him if he returned to the area to sell his goods again.
Ahmed, a native of Kupwara (Kashmir), is currently living in nearby Ramnagar and has been working in the area for the past nine years, the officer said.
The SSP said that any attempt to disrupt law and order and social harmony will not be tolerated. He also appealed to the general public not to share provocative material on social media.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) Friday said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has assured it of a “zero tolerance” approach towards any assault or intimidation of Kashmiri shawl sellers.
The assurance came after the JKSA took up the matter with senior authorities at the Centre, with the Uttarakhand government, and in Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting the assault and death threats issued to a Kashmiri shawl seller by a group of miscreants allegedly associated with the Bajrang Dal.
Confirming the development, JKSA in a statement said that an FIR has been registered in the case and the main accused, identified as Bajrang Dal leader Ankur Singh, has been arrested, while other accused involved in the incident have also been taken into custody. The Association welcomed the action taken by the Uttarakhand Police in the matter.
JKSA said that after the issue was taken up with senior authorities, the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttarakhand, informed that an FIR had been registered in connection with the incident.
It said that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kumaon Range, Riddhim Agarwal, informed the Association that the Uttarakhand Police had taken cognizance of the assault and the death threats issued to the victim.
JKSA said that an FIR (No. 517/25) has been registered under Sections 191(2), 115(2), 351(3), 352, 304, 62, 292, and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police teams were constituted, raids conducted, and arrests made; legal proceedings have also been initiated against the accused under the relevant provisions of law. All the accused have been arrested, JKSA quoted IGP Agarwal as saying.
JKSA added that the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Uttarakhand State government have taken serious note of the incident and conveyed that such acts of harassment and violence against Kashmiri traders will not be tolerated under any circumstances. “Kashmiri traders are equal Indian citizens, constitutionally entitled to work anywhere in India,” they said.
Officials, JKSA said, have assured that no pressure or settlement attempt will derail the prosecution and that the investigation will proceed strictly on merit to establish the full sequence of events, identify any additional accused, and fix liability under the law.
According to JKSA, the victim was assaulted, threatened with death, and asked to leave the state, creating an atmosphere of fear among Kashmiri traders who earn their livelihood by selling shawls seasonally across Uttarakhand and other states.
“The safety, dignity, and livelihood of Kashmiri traders and students across the country will be safeguarded, and the rule of law must prevail,” JKSA said, quoting a senior MHA official.
The Association thanked the Central and State governments, and the IGP Kumaon Range, Riddhim Agarwal, for their “timely intervention, on-ground assistance, and steadfast support in helping the victim during this difficult time”.
It said the action by the Uttarakhand Police has sent a strong message that the rule of law will prevail and that no one is above the law, and has helped restore confidence among Kashmiri traders who were feeling insecure after the incident.
The Association demanded strict punishment for all those involved and called upon state governments across the country to ensure the safety, dignity, and security of Kashmiri traders and students so that they can live and work without fear. (With additional inputs from PTI)
