Srinagar, De 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Wednesday said that an FIR has been registered in connection with the brutal assault on a Kashmiri shawl seller in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, and that police teams have launched a manhunt to identify and apprehend the accused. The Association welcomed the swift intervention and serious attention taken by the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in the matter.
JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami said that after the issue was taken up with the Political Secretary to the Leader of Opposition and the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, the Association was informed that a case had been promptly registered and that police teams were mobilised without delay. He added that police teams were immediately dispatched, raids are being conducted at multiple locations, and the perpetrators are expected to be apprehended soon. The case remains under active investigation.
Khuehami further stated that the Superintendent of Police, Bilaspur, Mr. Sandeep Dhawal, informed the Association that the case has been registered at Ghumarwin Police Station under Sections 126(2), 115(2), and 324(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and that the matter is being actively investigated.
The Association said that the Kashmiri shawl seller was on his way to his daily work when he was attacked near Kuthera village in Ghumarwin tehsil by three unidentified individuals whose faces were covered. The attackers did not ask him anything and launched a sudden assault. During the attack, they vandalised and destroyed garments meant for sale, including shawls worth approximately ₹20,000, before fleeing the spot.
The Association further noted that in several other incidents reported from the region, Kashmiri shawl sellers were stopped, questioned, and subjected to document checks, despite possessing valid identity papers and police verification. They were allegedly told to “go back” and not carry out their business in the state, creating an atmosphere of fear, insecurity, and intimidation.
Stressing the need for accountability, Khuehami said, “There must be swift, time-bound, and exemplary action to ensure arrests and accountability, so that a strong deterrent is created and such incidents are not repeated.”
Khuehami added that the Solan and Kangra incidents are currently under investigation. The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office has assured that FIRs will also be registered in these cases and that arrests will be made, ensuring that no accused will be spared.
The Association added that the Leader of Opposition has taken serious note of the incident and has clearly conveyed that acts of harassment, intimidation, and violence against Kashmiri traders will not be tolerated under any circumstances. He further conveyed that the Chief Minister is committed to safeguarding the safety, dignity, and livelihood of all citizens, including traders, workers, and students from the Kashmir Valley earning their livelihood across the state, Khuehami added while quoting LoPs’ Political Secretary.
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, Naresh Chauhan, also assured the Association that strict and exemplary action will be taken against those responsible and that the state government remains fully committed to ensuring justice.
Expressing gratitude to the Leader of Opposition and the Himachal Pradesh government for the prompt action, the Association said that such decisive steps send a strong and reassuring message that the rule of law will prevail and communal hatred will not be allowed to take root.