Srinagar: A mob has reportedly ransacked shops of Kashmiri businessmen in Rohru Tehsil of Shimla after a severed head of calf was found in the market on Thursday.
According to a report, the angry mob first vandalized a vegetable market belonging to some Muslims.
“Then they attacked our shops in main market of Rohru. Protesters were carrying hammers, iron roads, and sticks. They broke shop shutters and started vandalizing everything. Police was there but they were standing as ‘mute spectators’,” Mudasir Ahmed, a Kashmir shopkeeper told JandKheadlines.com.
A video, allegedly of the incident, is being shared on social media. The video cannot be independently verified.
The report added that there are around 5 to 6 Kashmiri shops in the market and 3 of them were looted by the mob.
“During the past many years, they have never done anything which is against the aspirations of a local community or hurt their religious sentiments,” Ahmed said.
“He said it has been now four days after the incident, local administration has turned deaf towards Kashmiri traders.
Ghulam Muhammad, a shopkeeper, from Kokernag area of Anantnag, told the Rising Kashmir that their shops were targeted in the morning last Wednesday.
“Our shops were closed, as calf episode was reported on Christmas night. The next day there was shut down in the area but being Muslims our shops were targeted deliberately by the mob,” he said.
However the police has registered an FIR on the basis of a statement of the Rohru station house officer. It names 10 people. The police said the situation remained under control on Friday.
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce has condemned the incident and has expressed its concern at the selective targeting of Kashmiri business community.
