MUSSOORIE,3 May (Alliance News): In the wake of a deadly attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists, Kashmiri vendors and students across India are facing a wave of violence, harassment, and discrimination, triggering fear and mass departures.
According to the BBC, a Kashmiri pashmina shawl seller who worked in Mussoorie for two decades, was publicly assaulted by members of a Hindu right-wing group. A viral video showed attackers thrashing Shabir and his colleague while vandalizing their stall and hurling abuse.
“They blamed us for the attack and told us to leave town,” Shabir said, adding that his merchandise, worth thousands of dollars, was left behind as he fled the area.
Though police arrested three individuals after the video sparked outrage, they were released on bail after issuing an apology. The incident has done little to ease tensions, with dozens of Kashmiri traders now abandoning towns where they had lived and worked for years.
The violence has not been limited to Mussoorie. Over a dozen reports have surfaced from various Indian cities detailing threats and assaults on Kashmiri students and workers. Online videos show students chased off campuses and harassed on the streets.
Ummat Shabir, a nursing student in Punjab, said she and her classmates faced open hostility. “They called me a terrorist. My friend was thrown out of a taxi after the driver found out she was Kashmiri,” she said.
In an emotional appeal, the widow of a naval officer killed in the Pahalgam attack urged citizens not to target Muslims and Kashmiris. “We want peace and only peace,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the government has launched a sweeping security crackdown. Thousands have been detained, tourist spots closed, additional troops deployed, and homes of suspected attackers demolished, prompting accusations of “collective punishment” from locals.
Former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti condemned the indiscriminate measures, urging the government to differentiate between civilians and militants.
Veteran trader Shafi Subhan, also forced to leave Mussoorie, said this wave of violence feels more severe than after the 2019 Pulwama attack. “People once kind to us now stood watching as we were beaten. That hurt even more,” he said.
Although the Indian government claims development and tourism have improved since revoking Kashmir’s special constitutional status in 2019, critics argue this has come at the cost of civil liberties and political freedoms.
Candlelight vigils and protest marches have been held in IIOJK, with newspapers publishing black front pages and businesses observing a shutdown to mourn the victims.
Anuradha Bhasin, editor of Kashmir Times, said Kashmiris have always condemned violence, but are constantly forced to prove their innocence. “This backlash will only deepen alienation and fear,” she said
