Kashmiri shawl vendor assaulted by Bajrang Dal activists in Uttarakhand; JKSA seeks action
DEHRADUN: A Kashmiri shawl vendor was allegedly assaulted, robbed and issued expulsion threats by a group of Bajrang Dal activists in Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar district, prompting the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) to write to the Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) seeking immediate action. The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of Kashmiri traders operating seasonally in the hill state. The victim has been identified as Bilal Ahmed Ganie, a resident of Kupwara in Kashmir, who has reportedly been selling shawls in Udham Singh Nagar for nearly a decade without incident. Speaking to TNIE , Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the JKSA, detailed the ordeal. Despite his long-standing presence and peaceful conduct, Bilal Ahmed was brutally assaulted, his stock of shawls was looted, he was threatened with death, and instructed to vacate the area and leave the state immediately, Khuehami said. The alleged forced eviction not only stripped the vendor of his livelihood but also instilled fear among the wider Kashmiri business community in the region. Such acts have created an atmosphere of fear and terror not only for the victim but also for other Kashmiri traders who depend on seasonal work in the region, Khuehami added. The JKSA letter alleges that the assault was led by a local Bajrang Dal leader identified as Ankur Singh. The Association also pointed out that the victim had already lodged a complaint at the Pratapur, Goshala police chowki, but no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered so far. Asserting the constitutional rights of Kashmiris, Khuehami said such targeted violence undermines national unity. Kashmiris are not outsiders in India but equal citizens. Targeting innocent Kashmiri traders and forcing them out of cities only deepens alienation and mistrust, and plays into the hands of hostile forces seeking to weaken Indias social fabric, he said. The JKSA has sought the personal intervention of DGP Deepam Seth to ensure the complaint is registered as an FIR, a fair investigation is conducted, and the accused are arrested. The Association has also demanded adequate protection for Bilal Ahmed Ganie and other Kashmiri traders in Uttarakhand.
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