Dehradun: A violent incident in Vikasnagar, Uttarakhand, has raised serious concerns about safety and communal harmony. Two Kashmiri youths, who had come to sell shawls and winter clothes, were attacked late Wednesday evening, leaving them seriously injured.
According to reports, Danish and Tavish, residents of Karlpur in Jammu, were in Vikasnagar Market to sell blankets and suits. While purchasing goods from a shop on Dakpathar Road, they were allegedly subjected to religious remarks and linked to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. When they protested, the argument escalated into a brutal assault.
Heartbreaking & unacceptable. An 18-yr old Kashmiri shawl seller in Uttarakhand was brutally assaulted after being profiled for his identity. This normalisation of hate is a governance failure. Urgent FIR, swift arrests, zero impunity.
Justice must prevail.#Kashmir pic.twitter.com/n0ePSs1J0I
— Shadab (@ShadabPeerzada) January 29, 2026
Attackers used iron rods and repeatedly punched the victims
Witnesses said the attackers used iron rods and repeatedly punched the victims. One youth suffered a broken arm and serious head injuries. Both were rushed to a local hospital and later referred to Doon Hospital in Dehradun for further treatment.
Protest at police station
As news of the assault spread, panic gripped the area. Members of the Muslim community carried the injured youths to the Vikasnagar police station and surrounded it, raising slogans against harassment. Protesters alleged that Kashmiri traders are being targeted on religious grounds in Uttarakhand. The protest calmed after police assured strict action.
Police response
SSI Shishupal Rana of Vikasnagar police station confirmed that a complaint was filed by Danish, son of Maulvi Yasin. Based on the statement, police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused, Sanjay Yadav, has been detained and is being interrogated. Officials said strict legal action will follow.
A district forensic team examined the victims and collected evidence. Police teams are continuing inquiries to ensure accountability.
Reaction from community leaders
Abdul Rashid Maheer, a relative of the victims, said Kashmiri traders have been visiting Uttarakhand every winter since 2008 to sell clothes. He alleged that the youths were targeted because of their identity.
Jammu and Kashmir Students Association spokesperson Nasir Khuehami described the incident as heartbreaking. He said the boy was first asked about his identity, and after learning he was Muslim and from Kashmir, the violence escalated. Khuehami appealed to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to intervene and ensure strict punishment for the accused.
Past incidents
This incident follows a similar case reported in December 2025, when a Kashmiri shawl seller, Bilal Ahmed Ghani, was assaulted in Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar. Police had registered a case and detained those involved.