An 18-year-old Kashmiri man sustained serious injuries after a mob allegedly attacked him while selling shawls in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun. Following the attack, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah dialled his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami, raising the issue and seeking action against those responsible.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday said that Abdullah’s intervention led to the registration of an FIR and the arrest of man, who is believed to be the prime accused, news agency PTI reported.
An official statement said Abdullah’s outreach resulted in swift action by the Uttarakhand authorities. “Abdullah’s intervention led to the registration of an FIR and arrest of the prime accused,” the statement said.
The youth was allegedly attacked by a group of people while selling shawls in Dehradun district on Wednesday. The attack is said to have taken place after the man was questioned about his religion and identity, PTI reported.
Omar Abdullah Dials Dhami
According to the Office of the Chief Minister, J&K, Abdullah spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami regarding the incident and urged strict action against those involved.
“Chief Minister spoke with the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, regarding the assault on a young Kashmiri shawl seller in Uttarakhand and urged him to take strict action against the perpetrators. Dhami assured that strict action, including registration of an FIR, would be taken in the matter and safety of J&K residents will be ensured,” the office said in a post on X.
J&K CM Flags Pattern of Attacks
Quote-tweeting the post, Abdullah expressed concern over a series of such incidents.
“This recent series of attacks including in Himachal Pradesh and now this one are unacceptable and must stop. It can’t be claimed that J&K is an inalienable part of India while people from Kashmir, in other parts of the country, live in fear for their lives.
“My Government will step in where ever necessary & will do whatever is needed to ensure these incidents are not repeated. I hope Home Ministry, Govt of India will also sensitise other states on the same lines,” Abdullah added.
Police Action In Uttarakhand
The statement said Uttarakhand Police subsequently took prompt action in the case and registered an FIR at Police Station Vikasnagar against the accused Sanjay Yadav and one other person under Sections 117(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“The accused Sanjay Yadav has been taken into custody and necessary legal action is being initiated, and he will be sent to jail,” the statement said, quoting an official update from Uttarakhand.
Political Leaders, Student Body React
Earlier, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami and the J&K Students Association (JKSA) expressed anguish over the assault.
“Another young Kashmiri shawl seller has been brutally attacked in Uttarakhand. These traders travel across India to earn an honest livelihood, yet repeated assaults reveal a disturbing pattern that demands urgent action and accountability,” Tarigami said in a post on X.
National Convenor of JKSA Nasir Khuehami alleged that the victim was targeted after his identity was ascertained.
“After learning that the family belonged to the Muslim community and hailed from Kashmir, the attackers turned violent,” he claimed, adding that “other family members were allegedly dragged, slapped and assaulted during the incident.”
Terming the incident deeply disturbing, the association called for strict action against all those involved and demanded adequate protection for Kashmiri traders, labourers and students in the state.
The association also urged Dhami to direct district police officials to take confidence-building measures and reassure vulnerable communities that the rule of law would prevail over mob prejudice.
