Omar Abdullah speaks to Uttarakhand CM over assault on Kashmiri shawl seller, seeks strict action

SRINAGAR (KIMS) — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday spoke with Pushkar Singh Dhami regarding the assault on a young Kashmiri shawl seller in Uttarakhand and urged him to take strict action against the perpetrators.

In a statement, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Uttarakhand Chief Minister assured him that stringent action, including the registration of an FIR, would be taken in the matter and that the safety of residents from Jammu and Kashmir would be ensured.

Expressing serious concern over the incident, Omar Abdullah said that the recent series of attacks on Kashmiris, including earlier incidents in Himachal Pradesh and now in Uttarakhand, are unacceptable and must stop.

“It cannot be claimed that Jammu and Kashmir is an inalienable part of India while people from Kashmir live in fear for their lives in other parts of the country,” the Chief Minister said.

He asserted that his government would intervene wherever necessary and take all required measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

Omar Abdullah also expressed hope that the Home Ministry would sensitise other states to ensure the safety and dignity of people from Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Kashmiri shawl seller was assaulted by a group of fringe elements in the Vikas Nagar area of Uttarakhand on Wednesday evening. He sustained a fracture in his arm and serious head injuries after being struck with an iron rod. — (KIMS)