Kashmiri shawl seller assaulted in Uttarakhand; accused arrested

CM Omar Abdullah calls attack ‘unacceptable’; JK Students Association presses for action; Congress seeks strict punishment

Dehradun/Srinagar, January 29 (BuzzBytes):
An 18-year-old Kashmiri shawl seller was assaulted by a group of goons in the Vikas Nagar area of Dehradun, triggering swift police action and strong condemnation from political leaders and civil society in Jammu and Kashmir.
Representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association told BuzzBytes that the teenager was “beaten mercilessly” and sustained multiple injuries, including a fractured left arm and serious head trauma, after being attacked with iron rods. He was initially taken to a local hospital and later referred to Doon Hospital for specialised treatment.
According to the association, the attackers first questioned the family about their identity. “When they learnt the victims were Muslims from Kashmir, the violence escalated,” the JKSA said, quoting relatives of the victim. Other family members were allegedly dragged, slapped and struck with rods during the assault.
Following a complaint by the JKSA, Uttarakhand Police registered an FIR (No. 26/2026) at Vikas Nagar Police Station under Sections 117(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sanjay Yadav, identified as the prime accused, has been arrested, officials said.
Uttarakhand Director General of Police Deepam Seth informed the association that legal proceedings are underway and assured that strict action would be taken. He said there would be zero tolerance for communal intimidation and attacks targeting traders from Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the investigation would proceed strictly on merit.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah strongly condemned the incident, describing attacks on Kashmiris outside the Union Territory as “unacceptable”. In a social media post, he said the J&K government would take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Kashmiris living or travelling outside the region. He also urged the Union Home Ministry to sensitise other states to prevent such targeted attacks.
Welcoming the arrest as an “important first step”, the JKSA said accountability must be time-bound, transparent and exemplary. The association warned that acts of communal profiling and mob violence must not be allowed to become normalised.
The Congress party also condemned the assault, calling it part of a disturbing pattern of increasing attacks on Kashmiris in recent years. The party demanded strict action against those responsible and urged authorities to ensure justice for the victim and his family.