The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken a strong note of an assault on a Kashmiri seasonal Shawl Seller in Uttarakhand, making it unequivocally clear that such acts against Kashmiri shawl sellers will not be tolerated at any cost.
A top official from the Ministry of Home Affairs told that “MHA has taken strong note of the incident and has made it clear that such acts against Kashmiri shawl sellers will not be tolerated at any cost.” Kashmiri traders are equal Indian citizens, constitutionally entitled to work anywhere in India, he said.
According to officials, on the afternoon of Monday, December 22, 2025, Bilal Ahmad Ganie (28), a shawl seller from Kupwara, Kashmir, was intercepted in the Kashipur area of Udham Singh Nagar district while conducting door-to-door sales to support his family during the harsh winter months.
Bilal, a seasonal shawl seller in Uttarakhand for over eight years, has been working in the state for more than eight winters, carrying out business for over eight years, and was known locally as a peaceful and non-disruptive trading presence.
The matter escalated further after the incident was highlighted by Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, drawing attention from central authorities and the state administration.
Police said the primary accused, Ankur Singh, a local Bajrang Dal leader, allegedly led a group of five men who hounded and assaulted Bilal, subjecting him to physical violence, verbal abuse, death threats, and intimidation. During the attack, the victim was forcibly coerced into chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” and was also pressured into raising “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” slogans while being assaulted, they said.
The case initially faced informal settlement pressure, with an attempted compromise through a “mafinama” (apology letter) at Goshala Police Chowki, causing a delay in formal registration. However, after a viral video of the assault sparked public outrage and condemnation, the matter escalated to New Delhi, following which the MHA issued a strong directive to the Uttarakhand administration to ensure strict rule of law enforcement, said an official.
The intervention acted as a decisive catalyst, prompting the Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP), Deepam Seth, and the Governor to place the case on top priority, triggering a full-scale crackdown on the accused and involved elements.
Following the MHA’s directive and public condemnation, law enforcement agencies launched a rapid, coordinated operation, resulting in the arrest of three accused persons so far, with further raids and detentions expected as the probe widens, the official said.
He said that an FIR No. 517/2025 has been registered under Sections 191(2), 115(2), 351(3), 352, 304, 62, 292, and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The sections invoked include charges related to criminal intimidation, hurt, assault, threat to life, coercion, and abusive/objectionable acts, reflecting the seriousness of the offence.
Officials said that no pressure or settlement attempt will derail the prosecution, and that the investigation will proceed strictly on merit to determine the full sequence of events, additional accused, and liability under law.
A senior police official said the case will be investigated in a mission-mode, adding that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that justice is delivered transparently and expeditiously. (KDC)
