SRINAGAR: At least 16 Kashmiri shawl vendors have left Mussoorie in haste following an attack on two of their fellow tradesmen, sparking concerns over the safety of seasonal workers in the popular tourist hill town, reports appearing in media said. The assault, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, shows a group of men repeatedly beating and abusing two vendors on Mall Road on April 23. The attackers, allegedly local residents, also demanded identity proofs and ordered the Kashmiris to leave the area.
Mussoorie police told The Indian Express that three men—Suraj Singh, Pradeep Singh and Abhishek Uniyal, belonging to the Bajrang Dal, have been arrested in connection with the incident under Section 81 of the Uttarakhand Police Act, which pertains to disorderly conduct in public places. The trio was challaned and released after tendering an apology, the newspaper reported.
The victims, including 36-year-old Shabir Ahmed Dar from Kupwara, said they had been visiting Mussoorie during summers for nearly two decades without facing hostility. “We have lived near the mosque and worked here for 18 years. Our families have known the locals for a long time,” Dar told the newspaper. “But no one defended us when we were attacked. That night, around 11 pm, police told us they could not help and warned that there were threats against Kashmiris after the Pahalgam attack. We were advised to leave for our safety.”
Dar said he contacted his brother in Kashmir, who spoke to a senior officer in their home district, but local authorities maintained they could not guarantee protection. Fearing further trouble, Dar and 15 other vendors left for Dehradun that night, boarded a bus to Jammu, and eventually reached home.
Another vendor, 30-year-old Javed Ahmed, said they left behind merchandise worth Rs 12 lakh in Mussoorie and are uncertain when they might return. “Our fathers sold shawls in this town for years. They were never treated like this,” he said.
Mussoorie police, however, have stated that there was no blanket order asking all Kashmiris to leave. They clarified that vendors who had not undergone police verification were advised to complete the process. A verification drive for all outsiders—including tenants, shopkeepers and seasonal vendors—was launched last week by Dehradun police.
