Kashmiri Shawl Sellers Allegedly Harassed, Pressured to Raise Religious Slogans in Haryana | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: A fresh incident of alleged harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers has been reported from Haryana’s Yamunanagar district, adding to a growing list of similar cases in the state over recent weeks.

According to ETV Bharat, the incident took place in Kalawad village under the Chhappar police station area, where two Kashmiri youths selling shawls and blankets were allegedly stopped on the road, questioned about their identity, and subjected to objectionable remarks by local youths. The situation reportedly escalated when the vendors were pressured to raise religious slogans.

The victims have been identified as Nazir Ahmad Khwaja and Imtiyaz Ahmad, residents of Kashmir, who were moving from village to village for their seasonal trade. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon as they entered Kalawad village. A video of the confrontation later surfaced on social media, triggering public outrage and concern.

In the viral footage, one of the accused can be seen repeatedly pressuring the Kashmiri vendors to chant slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” The video also captures a threat, warning the vendors that their clothes would be taken away if they were seen in the village again. The Kashmiri youths are heard asserting their Indian identity while refusing to raise religious slogans, which further heightened tensions.

This is the third such incident reported in Haryana in recent weeks, following similar cases in Kaithal and Fatehabad, raising concerns over the safety of migrant and itinerant workers from Kashmir.

Following the circulation of the video, tension briefly prevailed in the village. However, according to ETV Bharat, intervention by local villagers helped defuse the situation, allowing the two Kashmiri youths to leave safely for nearby villages without any physical violence.

Chhappar police station SHO Vedpal said the police had received information about the incident informally, but no written complaint had been filed so far. “If a complaint is received, the matter will be investigated, and necessary action will be taken,” he said.