In Dehradun, 92 vendors detained after woman alleges molestation by shop worker

According to the Dehradun Police, the verification drive for vendors from outside the state followed a meeting between the district administration and the locals in the market area.

Among the suggestions given at the meeting were making separate booths for women, increasing patrol by women police personnel, and setting up more CCTV cameras in the market areas.

According to Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajai Singh, challans will be issued to those doing business in the market without the requisite verification.

The drive comes at a time of heightened tensions in many parts of Uttarakhand – particularly in Rudraprayag – over boards threatening non-Hindus and Rohingya Muslims with “dire consequences” if they are found conducting business in the area.

It also comes days after mobs allegedly vandalised minority-run shops in the neighbouring Chamoli district, over allegations that a Muslim man had molested a minor girl.

The Bajrang Dal Monday asked vendors in the market to keep their shops closed in protest. According to Bajrang Dal leader Vikas Verma, after local trade union members handed the vendor accused of molestation to the police, local Muslims – including Dehradun’s Shehar Qazi Mohammad Ahmed Qajmi — protested the arrest.

“They made a call to shut the shops, after which the Muslims kept their shops shut. To oppose that, many other organisations also called for a bazaar bandh,” he claimed.

However, Wasim Ahmad, the media in-charge of Muslim Seva Sangathan, denied the allegations saying that their protest was against giving the incident a communal angle. He also denied the allegation that the cleric defended the suspect.

“We met the senior district and police officials and complained that the arrested man was manhandled before being handed over to the police. Shehar Qazi Mohammad Ahmed Qajmi also asked the district magistrate to ensure that this incident doesn’t take on a communal colour and appealed for a transparent investigation and strict action against the accused,” Ahmed told The Indian Express, adding that the cleric had also urged the administration to run a verification drive against unauthorised vendors.