SRINAGAR: Days after two Kashmiri shawl seller brothers were brutally assaulted in Uttarakhand, a fresh case of alleged harassment and assault involving a Kashmiri shawl seller has been reported from Congress ruled Himachal Pradesh.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Students Association national convenor Nasir Khuehami, a Kashmiri shawl seller identified as Mohammad Ramzan was harassed and later assaulted by a right wing activist, Surjeet Rajput Guleria, in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
Ramzan, Nasir said, was forced to prove his identity, threatened and given an ultimatum to leave the state, while his shawl bundles were checked.
“He was mockingly accused of carrying an AK 47 instead of Kashmiri shawls,” Nasir said.
“This is the fourth such incident in Himachal Pradesh in the recent past, reflecting a deeply disturbing and recurring pattern of targeted harassment against Kashmiri traders,” he said.
“The same individual (Guleria) is reported to have harassed and assaulted three other Kashmiri shawl sellers last month as well,” Nasir added.
He alleged that Kashmiri traders in the area have been intimidated, threatened and prevented from selling their shawls, and warned to vacate the place.
“For decades, these shawl sellers have contributed significantly to the local economy and have become an integral part of the social and cultural fabric of the region. Today, however, they are being pushed into insecurity and fear, simply because of their identity,” Nasir said.
The assault on the Kashmiri shawl seller in Himachal Pradesh comes days after the January 28 attack on two young Kashmiri brothers selling shawls in the Vikas Nagar area of Uttarakhand.
One of the brothers, identified as Mohammad Tabish, was hit on the head with iron rods, causing severe head injuries and a fracture to his arm.
The assault on the young Kashmiri shawl sellers in Uttarakhand had triggered outrage in the Valley, prompting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take up the issue with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
He urged him to take strict action against those involved, ensure the registration of an FIR and guarantee the safety of Jammu and Kashmir residents.
The Uttarakhand Police registered an FIR against the accused, Sanjay Yadav, and another person under Sections 117(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The main accused was arrested.
Kashmiri shawl sellers and students have reportedly faced harassment and assaults in Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other states in recent months.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has written to the Union Home Minister seeking urgent intervention to stop intimidation, harassment and targeted violence against Kashmiri students and shawl vendors.
The repeated incidents have created fear and uncertainty among Kashmiri students and traders pursuing education and earning their livelihood outside Jammu and Kashmir.