The Kashmiris, especially Kashmiri Muslims, have been under the target following the Pahalgam attack, which took place on April 22, earlier this month. Cases of Kashmiri residents, students, and vendors being targeted have emerged. In one such inhumane case, three Kashmiri shawl vendors were assaulted by the members of the Bajrang Dal.
In a video making rounds on the internet, two Kashmiri shawl sellers were seen being assaulted by members of the Bajrang Dal in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. The police were asking the vendors to leave the area.
After a short period of time, the incident gained concern, and Uttarakhand Director General of Police Deepam Seth confirmed that the state police have taken swift action in response to the recent assault on Kashmiri shawl vendors by three individuals on Mall Road. All three suspects have been apprehended, and legal proceedings are currently underway.
A police officer posted in Mussoorie confirmed, and the Indian Express reported, that two vendors selling Kashmiri shawls and garments on Mall Road were attacked by a group of men who also ordered them to leave the area. A video of the incident, which has since gone viral, shows the assailants verbally abusing the traders and repeatedly assaulting them.
The men were asked to show their identification and ordered to leave the area. Shabir Ahmed Dar, a 36-year-old vendor from Kupwara, shared that he and others have been coming to Mussoorie for the past 18 years, spending winters in Dehradun and summers in the hill town. He said they live near the local mosque and are familiar faces in the community. “The individuals who attacked us are locals and have seen us around before,” he noted. “Yet no one intervened. There are workers from other states living in Kashmir, and we’ve never treated anyone badly,” as reported by the Indian Express.
“They apologized for their actions and assured that they would not repeat such behavior in the future. Legal proceedings are being initiated against them under the Police Act,” the DGP said, as stated by Maktoob Media.
Meanwhile, the incident has sent shockwaves through the Kashmiri trading community in Uttarakhand, with many accusing authorities of turning a blind eye to rising hostility. Reports indicate that around 16 other traders—mostly from Kupwara district—also faced threats and eviction from rented accommodations, prompting their return to the Valley.
This latest episode follows a troubling pattern of targeted attacks and harassment against Kashmiris in the region, reportedly exacerbated by communal tensions following the recent Pahalgam attack. Kashmiri students have also reportedly fled the state amid fears of mob violence stoked by inflammatory social media and media coverage.
The J&K Students Association stated it has reached out to Uttarakhand officials, who have assured them that the matter is under investigation.
