Young Kashmiri shawl seller suffers fractures, head injuries after mob attack in Uttarakhand

Srinagar, Jan 28, KNT: Jammu Kashmir Students Association has expressed deep shock and anguish over the brutal assault on an 18 year old Kashmiri youth selling shawls along with his family in the Vikas Nagar area of Uttarakhand.

In a statement, the association said the young boy was attacked by a group of fringe elements, beaten mercilessly and left with multiple bruises across his body. “His left arm has been fractured and he sustained serious head injuries after being struck with iron rods. He was initially taken to a local hospital and later referred to Doon Hospital, Dehradun. Blood was reportedly oozing from his head following the assault,” the statement said.

The association said relatives of the victim informed them that the boy was first questioned about his identity. “Upon learning that the family belonged to the Muslim community and was from Kashmir, the violence escalated. The boy was punched repeatedly, while other family members were dragged, slapped and attacked with sharp iron rods,” it added.
Terming the incident a chilling reminder of growing communal profiling and mob brutality, the JKSA said the youth was merely trying to help his family earn a dignified livelihood during harsh winter months. “An 18 year old selling shawls to support his family was met not with humanity, but with hatred,” the association said.

The Jammu Kashmir Students Association urged Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to intervene immediately, ensure registration of a strict FIR and book all the culprits under relevant sections of law [KNT]