- A Kashmiri shawl seller was attacked by a mob in Dehradun, Uttarakhand
- The victim, Tabish Ahmad, was assaulted after being identified as a Muslim from Kashmir
- A police case has been filed regarding the attack
After a mob attack on a Kashmiri shawl seller in Uttarakhand, political parties and leaders have expressed concerns over what they claimed were growing attacks on Kashmiris in various parts of the country.
Visuals of Jammu and Kashmir resident Tabish Ahmad, 18, lying injured following the assault in Uttarakhand had gone viral, following which Chief Minister Omar Abdullah dialled his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Dhami, seeking action against those involved in the attack.
Reports say a first information report (FIR) has been filed and an accused has been detained for questioning.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association shared photos of Ahmad on a wheelchair. A blood-soaked bandage is wrapped around his head. He was allegedly thrashed with iron rods by a mob in Dehradun's Vikas Nagar on Wednesday.
"His relatives told me he was first questioned about his identity. On learning that he is a Muslim and from Jammu and Kashmir, they started attacking him. He was punched repeatedly, while his other family members were dragged, slapped and attacked with sharp iron rods," the association's chief Nasir Khuehami said.
"This is a chilling reminder of how communal profiling, intimidation, and mob brutality are being normalised against vulnerable communities trying to earn a dignified livelihood during harsh winter months," Khuehami said.
A statement said the Uttarakhand police chief conveyed to Khuehami that immediate legal action was taken and an FIR was filed against two accused.
"The key accused, Sanjay Yadav, has been taken into custody, and further legal proceedings are being taken," the student association chief said, citing the police chief.
The Congress has criticised the BJP over the attack on the man from Kashmir.
"His only 'fault' was that he was from Kashmir. He was selling Kashmiri shawls to earn a living... This is what hate does to a nation. This is the result of politics that spreads fear and division instead of unity," the Congress said in a post on X.
"Such incidents are no longer isolated. They are happening repeatedly, especially in BJP-ruled states, where people are being misled and turned against one another for political gain. The social fabric of our country is being torn apart," the Opposition party alleged.
Abdullah said he has asked the Uttarakhand chief minister to take strict action.
"This recent series of attacks including in Himachal Pradesh and now this one are unacceptable and must stop. It can't be claimed that Jammu and Kashmir is an inalienable part of India while people from Kashmir, in other parts of the country, live in fear for their lives," Abdullah said.
"My government will step in where ever necessary and will do whatever is needed to ensure these incidents are not repeated. I hope the Home Ministry will also sensitise other states on the same lines," he added.
J&K Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone said the attacks against people from Kashmir across the country show no signs of abating.
"Even a young man has not been spared. This shows a culture of tolerance across the country to such intolerant incidents. Regrettably, not many voices in the country are perturbed about these events," he said.
