Kashmiri Vendors Assaulted During Anti-Encroachment Drive In Lucknow

LUCKNOW — In an incident in Lucknow, a Kashmiri vendor faced alleged physical assault, including a slap, while several dry fruit vendors found themselves rounded up and taken away in police vehicles during an anti-encroachment drive by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) near the 1090 Crossing.

The incident, captured in multiple viral videos on social media, portrayed police purportedly manhandling vendors, forcibly bundling them into vans.

The netizens criticized the actions of the Lucknow police,

While official statements said that the vendors were being relocated due to VIP movement, the vendors claimed they were unfairly targeted when they protested against the removal of their goods.

“The Chief Minister was supposed to take the road, after which Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) officials conducted an anti-encroachment drive. However, youth selling dry fruits there misbehaved with Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) authorities after which they were forcefully brought to the police station, where they were challaned under Section 151 of the CrPc and warned to avoid this road due to VIP movement,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), East, Ashish Srivastava.

“We’ve been selling dry fruits here for 10 years, traveling 2,000 kilometers for a livelihood. We have children to feed as we have no work there in Kashmir. We are here only for selling and not begging,” a vendor said. — (IANS)