NHRC takes cognisance of attacks on Kashmiri shawl sellers, students: JKSA

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Saturday took cognisance of the incidents of harassment and attacks against Kashmiri shawl sellers and students in different parts of the country.

As per a press release issued by JKSA, the Commission has filed a case under (Case No. 684/90/0/2026) on a complaint filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), concerning incidents of intimidation, harassment, discrimination, and physical assaults allegedly faced by Kashmiri shawl sellers and students across several states in India.

The complaint was filed earlier this year by JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami following a series of incidents reported from Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The complaint documented instances in which Kashmiri shawl sellers were allegedly assaulted, threatened, humiliated, prevented from carrying out their trade, and, in some cases, forced to leave areas where they had been living and working peacefully for decades, it added.

Several Kashmiri students also reported incidents of denial of accommodation, communal profiling, intimidation, and physical threats. Earlier, the NHRC had acknowledged the complaint and assigned it Diary No. 4836/CR/2026, confirming that the matter had been formally taken on record. The registration of Case No. 684/90/0/2026 marks a significant step in the Commission’s examination of the concerns raised by the Association.

Association expressed hope that the Commission would thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding these incidents and recommend appropriate measures to safeguard the safety, dignity, livelihood, and constitutional rights of Kashmiri citizens residing and working outside Jammu and Kashmir. The Association further urged the commission to ensure accountability in cases where there have been lapses in responding to complaints and protecting vulnerable individuals.

The Association reiterated that Kashmiris are equal citizens of India and are entitled to the same rights, freedoms, and protections guaranteed under the Constitution. Violence, discrimination, intimidation, or social exclusion against any citizen on the basis of identity, region, religion, or attire have no place in a democratic and constitutional society governed by the rule of law; it added.