Kashmiri Teenage Hawkers Brutally Assaulted in Dehradun for Speaking Native Language
In a shocking incident of communal violence, two teenage shawl hawkers from Kashmir were brutally assaulted in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, on Wednesday. The victims, identified as 17-year-old Mohammed Tavish and his 18-year-old brother Mohammed Danish from Kupwara district, were attacked simply for conversing in their native Kashmiri language.
Horrific Details of the Assault Emerge
According to Mohammed Danish, the elder sibling, the terrifying episode unfolded when they visited a grocery shop in Vikasnagar area to purchase snacks after a day of selling shawls. "After paying the amount, we left the place while chatting in Kashmiri. Then, suddenly, a shopkeeper came out and asked for our names and our native place," Danish recounted.
The situation escalated rapidly when the shopkeeper discovered they were Kashmiri Muslims. "To our shock, he started abusing us and said, ‘You people did the Pahalgam attack'," Danish revealed, referring to the 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam where Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 25 Hindu tourists and a Kashmiri Muslim pony ride operator.
The shopkeeper was soon joined by at least three others, including a woman, who allegedly passed communal remarks before launching a vicious physical assault. "They repeatedly beat us with rods and canes," Danish stated, adding that his younger brother Tavish suffered severe injuries including a head wound that required seven stitches and a fractured left shoulder.
Police Response and Political Intervention
Based on Danish's complaint, Dehradun police registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 117(2) for voluntarily causing grievous hurt and 352 for intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace. Prime accused Sanjay Yadav has been arrested after being detained for questioning.
SSP Dehradun Ajai Singh confirmed, "CCTV footage is being examined and we're also speaking to witnesses." SSP Vikasnagar Shishupal Rana added that the brothers were called to record their statements, and more sections might be added to the case based on their testimony.
The incident prompted immediate political intervention, with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah taking up the matter with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday. "Recent attacks, including in Himachal Pradesh, and now this one are unacceptable and must stop," Abdullah stated, emphasizing that "It can't be claimed that J&K is an inalienable part of India while people from Kashmir, in other parts of the country, live in fear for their lives."
Pattern of Violence Against Kashmiri Vendors
This assault represents the latest in a disturbing pattern of attacks against Kashmiri vendors in Uttarakhand:
- On December 24 last year, a 28-year-old Kashmiri vendor was assaulted in Udham Singh Nagar district, leading to three arrests
- On January 18, another vendor was allegedly assaulted in Almora
- Last April, two more vendors were assaulted in Mussoorie
Mohammed Shafi, the cousins' relative, explained their family's circumstances: "Our family travels to Himachal Pradesh's Paonta Sahib every winter and had arrived in Dehradun to sell shawls." He revealed the attackers told the brothers, "This is Uttarakhand, you cannot speak Kashmiri," highlighting the linguistic discrimination they faced.
Broader Concerns and Official Responses
Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association convenor Nasir Khuehami raised serious concerns about the incident, calling it "a chilling reminder of how communal profiling, intimidation and mob brutality are being normalised against communities trying to earn a dignified livelihood during harsh winter months."
Uttarakhand police officials have responded to the growing concerns. Inspector General (Law and Order) Sunil Kumar Meena told TOI, "Police from headquarters have given directions to all the districts at regular intervals on the safety and security of people from Kashmir and the Northeast. We also maintain a record of them living in Uttarakhand to offer timely help, if needed."
Chief Minister Dhami has assured his J&K counterpart that the safety of Jammu and Kashmir residents in Uttarakhand will be ensured. The case continues to develop as authorities conduct a thorough investigation into this disturbing hate crime that has raised questions about the safety of migrant workers from Kashmir in other Indian states.
