18-year-old Kashmiri shawl seller assaulted in Uttarakhand, JKSA demands action against culprits

SRINAGAR (KIMS) — An 18-year-old Kashmiri boy was brutality assaulted by a group of people in the Vikas Nagar area of Uttarakhand on Wednesday evening while he was selling shawls along with his family.

In a statement, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) said the boy was attacked by a group of fringe elements, beaten, and left with multiple injuries. His left arm was fractured, and he sustained serious head injuries after being struck with iron rods. He was initially shifted to a local hospital and later referred to Doon Hospital, Dehradun, for specialised treatment.

JKSA said blood was reportedly oozing from the boy’s head following the assault. According to his relatives, the attackers initially questioned him about his identity. The violence escalated after they came to know that the family belonged to the Muslim community and hailed from Kashmir.

The statement said the victim was punched repeatedly, while other family members were dragged, slapped, and assaulted with iron rods.

Calling the incident a chilling reminder of the growing normalisation of communal profiling, intimidation, and mob violence, JKSA said the boy was only trying to support his family during the harsh winter months by selling shawls, but was met with hatred instead of humanity.

JKSA strongly urged the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, to intervene immediately, ensure the registration of a stringent FIR, and book all the culprits under relevant sections of law.

The association said the case must be pursued with utmost seriousness and that a clear precedent must be set to ensure such acts of hate and violence are not repeated with impunity.

“Violence, intimidation, and communal hatred cannot and must not be normalised. The State has a constitutional duty to protect every citizen, irrespective of region, religion, or identity,” the statement said.

JKSA said the government must act decisively to ensure justice, restore public confidence, and hold the perpetrators accountable for the heinous act. — (KIMS)