In the third incident of its kind in past month and a half, a Kashmiri shawl seller was targetted by unknown individuals in Kapurthala district and robbed of his belongings after being beaten up badly. Fareed Ahmad Bajad, a Kashmiri shawl seller from Karlpora, Kupwara, was mercilessly attacked by miscreants in Kapurthala, Punjab. According to fellow Kashmiris he was brutally thrashed leaving him with multiple bruises all over his body. His belongings, which included shawls and cash, were also looted in this attack. Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of J&K Students Association posted on social media handle that this was a repeat incident and that Kashmiri shawl sellers, who have significantly contributed to the local economy and become part of the social fabric, now live in constant fear. “The alarming trend of targeting Kashmiri traders continues unabated, creating an atmosphere of hatred and intimidation that threatens their businesses and livelihoods,” he wrote. Speaking to The Indian Express, SSP Kapurthala, Gaurav Toora, said that drug addicts and petty criminals were involved in the two incidents in the past and that the present one also appeared to be on the same lines. “We have arrested four people in the past attacks and recovered all the belongings which were stolen from the victims. This is not a hate crime. There is no other angle to these incidents apart from the intent to rob,” he said. He added that an FIR has been registered in the case at City Police Station, Kapurthala even though the incident took place on the border jurisdiction of adjoining district. “The DGP has given strict instructions on immediate registration of FIRs and we will resolve the jurisdiction matter later,” he said. The SSP said the shawl sellers often visit the villages alone which makes them a lucrative target for petty criminals. “We have asked them in the past to move in groups of 6-7 people. The shawls that they carry are very expensive in some cases,” he said. He added that the attackers in the present instance will also be arrested soon.
