‘Thrashed, punched, slapped, and dragged’: Kashmiri shawl seller attacked in Punjab’s Kapurthala

Punjab: A Kashmiri shawl seller was mercilessly attacked by some goons in Kapurthala, Punjab. The victim Fareed Ahmad Bajad, from Karlpora, Kupwara, district of north Kashmir, was brutally thrashed, punched, slapped, and dragged, leaving him with multiple bruises all over his body, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association said on Tuesday.

Not only was he physically assaulted, but his belongings, including shawls worth lakhs of rupees and cash, were also looted in this horrifying incident.

This is the seventh such incident in the last 45 days—a chilling pattern of violence and intimidation that is pushing these hard-working persons into a state of fear and insecurity.

Kashmiri shawl sellers, who have contributed to the local economy and become part of the social fabric, now live in constant fear. The alarming trend of targeting Kashmiri traders continues unabated, creating an atmosphere of hatred and intimidation that threatens their businesses and livelihoods.