Kashmiri traders face fresh attack in India
Incident in Himachal Pradesh follows assaults on Kashmiri shawl sellers in Uttarakhand, spotlighting fears of targeting amid rising hostility toward Muslims
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Kashmiri shawl seller was allegedly harassed and assaulted in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, days after two traders from Kashmir were attacked in neighboring Uttarakhand, prompting renewed concerns over the safety of Muslim and non-local traders in the region.
The latest incident occurred in Kangra district, located in Himachal Pradesh’s western Himalayan belt, where the victim, Mohd Ramzan, was selling shawls sourced from Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region in northern India that has remained politically sensitive for decades.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), Ramzan was stopped by a local man who questioned his identity and demanded proof of citizenship. Despite repeatedly stating that he is an Indian national, Ramzan was allegedly subjected to further interrogation and intimidation.
The association said Ramzan’s shawl bundles were searched, during which he was mockingly accused of carrying an assault rifle rather than merchandise — a reference rights advocates say reflects the persistent stereotyping of Kashmiris as security threats. The confrontation later escalated into an alleged physical assault.
JKSA identified the accused as Surjeet Rajput Guleria and alleged that he had been involved in at least three similar incidents targeting Kashmiri shawl sellers over the past month. The group said this was the fourth reported case of harassment or violence against Kashmiri traders in Himachal Pradesh this year alone.
The association also raised concerns over what it described as weak law enforcement responses. In several earlier cases, it said, victims’ police complaints were either not formally registered or were diluted during investigation. According to JKSA, only one criminal case has been officially recorded so far despite multiple reports of threats and assaults against traders.
Rights advocates say such incidents reflect a broader climate of hostility toward Kashmiris and Muslims in parts of northern India, where travelling traders have increasingly reported harassment, identity checks by civilians and accusations linked to militancy — practices that have intensified alongside Hindu nationalist rhetoric portraying Kashmiris as outsiders or security risks.
The students’ association criticized the state government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, alleging that the lack of swift arrests and preventive measures has emboldened attackers. It urged the chief minister to personally intervene, ensure accountability and direct police and district authorities to provide protection to Kashmiri traders to safeguard their livelihoods.
Similar attacks on Kashmiri shawl sellers have been reported in recent years across several Indian states, often triggering temporary returns of traders to Kashmir amid fears for their safety.
Civil rights groups warn that unless authorities act decisively, such incidents risk becoming normalized, deepening insecurity for migrant workers and traders across the country.
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