Srinagar, Jan 1: Following the intervention of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), police in Himachal Pradesh have registered an FIR in connection with the brutal assault on a Kashmiri shawl seller in Bilaspur district.
The case has been registered at Ghumarwin Police Station under Sections 126(2), 115(2) and 324(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police teams have launched a manhunt to identify and apprehend the accused, with raids currently underway. Authorities said the matter is under active investigation.
The incident comes amid a series of troubling reports from Himachal Pradesh, where Kashmiri shawl sellers have allegedly been stopped, questioned, and subjected to repeated document checks despite possessing valid identity documents and police verification. In some cases, traders were allegedly asked to stop their business and return, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
JKSA expressed gratitude to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office for taking swift cognisance of the matter. Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Naresh Chauhan has assured that FIRs will also be registered in similar cases reported from Solan and Kangra districts and that no accused will be spared.
The Office of the Leader of Opposition has conveyed that any form of harassment, intimidation or violence against Kashmiri traders will not be tolerated under any circumstances, the association said.