Bloodstains on Pashmina: Kashmiri shawl sellers heckled, assaulted across states over faith, identity

by Ankita Mahalanobish

For decades, winter announced itself at the doorsteps of people in the Indian plains with the arrival of Kashmiri shawl sellers — walking, cycling, or ferrying through the streets with shoulders bent under sacks of finely crafted shawls. They were never just salesmen. They carried with them a whiff of Kashmir itself — pashmina from the banks of the Jhelum, carpets from the uplands of Gulmarg, echoes of the lanes of Zaina Kadal, and the warmth of a valley many knew only through their presence.

Traditionally, most families would have ‘their own’ Kashmiri shawl seller, bound by years of trust and familiarity, the relationship feeling less like a transaction and more like a distant relative’s annual visit. The opening of the sack brought a hush of anticipation, eyes lighting up as vibrant shawls and winterwear were spread out, turning the moment into one of shared wonder. They remembered preferences, understood tastes, and spoke with the ease that comes from long acquaintance, often inviting families to visit Kashmir and promising to host them like old friends. For many who never set foot in the valley, these visits were how Kashmir entered our homes — folded into shawls, wrapped around shoulders, and gently stitched into the fabric of memory.

All of this, however, stands to change because hate, hostility and violence have come to define our public spaces and public discourse, casting shadows of fear where there once was warmth and trust.

“There have been so many incidents of Kashmiri shawl sellers being attacked and heckled in the last few weeks. News of such attacks are circulating in our circles. They are also reaching our families back home. A deep sense of fear has been instilled in us. It is heartbreaking that we are scared in our own country and intimidated by our fellow citizens. Kashmir is part of India, and we are just as Indian as anyone from other states. Why do we need to prove our loyalty by presenting documents or chanting slogans? In the winter, our hometown is blanketed in snow, and we have to work in other states to earn a living. However, incidents like these make things increasingly difficult for us,” Jehangir Ahmad from Kupwara, who was physically assaulted by a man in Dehra Gopipur town in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, in late December, told Alt News.

Alt News traced at least 14 reported attacks on Kashmiri shawl sellers in north Indian states between December 14 and February 1. When we reached out to the victims, their traumatic tales revealed a troubling pattern: In almost every case, the vendors were asked to produce identity documents and prove their patriotism by chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ or ‘Jai Sri Ram’. Those who hesitated, faced further heckling and accusations that they were not “true Indians”. In some cases, the hostility spilled over into physical violence. In each case, their Kashmiri Muslim identity became a flashpoint. Alarmingly, in several instances, police advised the victims against filing formal complaints.

Vikas Nagar, Uttarakhand

In one of the most heinous of such attacks, a 17-year-old boy named Mohammad Tabish was brutally assaulted in Vikas Nagar, Uttarakhand, on January 28. A group of men allegedly attacked him and his brother, 19-year-old Mohammad Danish, after discovering that they were Muslims from Kashmir. Tabish, who had come from Kupwara to Uttarakhand during his vacation to help his father in their family trade of selling Kashmiri shawls, suffered multiple bruises, a fractured left arm, and severe head injuries after being struck with an iron rod.

Mohammad Tabish | Photo: x.com/TheRFTeam

According to the victims’ family, the attackers first demanded to check the boys’ identity. When they learned that the family was Muslim and from Kashmir, they turned violent. 

“It was the first time my brother, who is 17, had come to Himachal to help us in our business. He was called a ‘kattmulla’ and told that we were responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack,” Danish told Alt News.

In an interview with IANS, Tabish recounted the assault. He said that while he and his elder brother were selling shawls and warm clothes on the fateful day, they stopped at a shop and were looking for an eating place. After calling the shopkeeper multiple times without a response, they began speaking to each other in Kashmiri, deciding to move on to the next shop. 

As they started to walk away, the shopkeeper called them back and accused them of verbally abusing him in their native language. When Tabish and his brother denied the allegations, the shopkeeper remarked, “This is Uttarakhand; you can’t speak in Kashmiri here.” He then physically assaulted Tabish by grabbing his face, pushed him, and hurled abuses along with communal remarks. 

In response, when Tabish demanded to be treated with respect, another man from the shop allegedly had his brother in a chokehold. Subsequently, they began hitting Tabish with a rod and struck him on the head.

After the assault, some locals took Tabish to a nearby hospital, and he was later transferred to Doon Hospital. 

An FIR was filed at Vikas Nagar police station under sections BNS 117(2) and 352. The main accused, Sanjay Yadav, and another individual were arrested on January 29.

Yamuna Nagar, Haryana

On January 17, a video surfaced on social media showing two Kashmiri shawl sellers being harassed and forced to chant ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. In the video, a man is seen threatening the two that he would tear their clothes off, claiming they were not true Indians. 

In response, the shawl seller asserts that he is a true Indian and that there is no doubt over it. The heckler then demands that the Kashmiri man chant ‘Jai Sri Ram’ to prove his love for the nation. The shawl seller explains that his religious beliefs were different, and therefore, he could not chant that phrase, reminding the heckler that India is a secular country. 

At this point, another man joins the already heated conversation and suggests that they chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ to prove their patriotism. The person recording the video agrees, saying, “Obviously, we can say, ‘Bharat ki Jai’,” but the heckler continued to insist on the vendors chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. 

Multiple Incidents in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

On February 1, 2026, Mohammed Ramzan, a Kashmiri shawl seller, was allegedly heckled, harassed, and assaulted by a Right-wing activist named Surajeet Rajput Guleria at Raja ka Talab in Nurpur tehsil of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. During the incident, Guleria made a live video on Facebook in which Ramzan could be heard repeatedly asserting that he was an Indian citizen.

Guleria made a series of accusations against ‘Kashmiris’. Kashmiris tell Army personnel to leave India being one of them. In response, Ramzan states, “No, we don’t do that. Soldiers are there to protect us; they are like our brothers.” He tries to explain to Guleria that he was heckling poor Kashmiri vendors. He also points out that there is harmony and a sense of brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir. 

Guleria accuses Ramzan of torturing Kashmiri Pandits, and claims that Ramzan maybe carrying AK-47 guns instead of shawls in his bags. He also coerces Ramzan into showing his identification documents.

 

यह कश्मीरी लोग एक तरफ Army को बोलते है तुम अपने देश भारत वापस जाओ दूसरी तरफ भाई चारा ढूंढ रहा है ।।

Posted by Surjeet Rajput Guleria Guleria on Saturday 31 January 2026

 

Ramzan made a startling claim while speaking to Alt News. He stated that the same person had heckled him three-four years ago. In the present case, before going Live on Facebook, Guleria physically assaulted him, Ramzan told Alt News, while waiting at a police station to lodge a complaint. 

“Despite the presence of other local residents and shopkeepers, no one came to support me or asked Guleria to stop harassing us. There is a constant sense of fear among us. Anything can happen to us at any time,” Ramzan added.

He also noted that the harassment and intimidation had negatively impacted business. While speaking to Alt News, Ramzan was at the police station waiting to file a complaint against Guleria. Later Ramzan informed us that the police complaint was not filed. Cops brought Guleria and asked him to apologize before releasing him.

This is not the only time in the last one month that Guleria reportedly heckled a Kashmiri shawl seller.  

In a separate incident, on January 15, 2026, Guleria posted a live video on Facebook featuring a Kashmiri shawl seller named Ayub. In the video, Ayub is seen being heckled and intimidated by Guleria, who claims to be a military personnel with 13 years of service in Kashmir. He accuses Ayub of throwing stones and aligning himself with anti-national activities, making sweeping generalizations about the Kashmiri community.

Guleria says in the video that he is interviewing the shawl seller to let the country know Ayub’s thoughts. He also alleges that Ayub was involved in ‘Love Jihad’, though he does not give out further details. Guleria is also seen intimidating Ayub in the video.

In another incident, Nasir Ahmed, a shawl seller from Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, was heckled on camera on December 14, 2025, by an individual named Ravi Barsain in Kangra.

A video of the incident was shared on social media by a user named Shivam Dixit, who claims to be a journalist with RSS journal Panchajanya. 

The person interrogating Ahmed asks him about his name, religion and home state. “Are you a Muslim?” he confirms. Ahmed replies, “Yes, I am.” Barsain then inquires about Ahmed’s feelings toward India, to which Ahmed responds, “It’s our country.” Barsain presses further, asking, “Ours or only yours?” Ahmed again asserts, “It is our country. It belongs to all of us. (Desh hai apna, hum sabka)” 

Barsain then demands that Ahmed chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. Ahmed clearly declines, explaining that his religion does not permit him to do so. Barsain continues to heckle him, questioning why there is an issue with chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ if it is his country. 

Ahmed reiterates that while he loves his country, he cannot chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. Barsain responds by warning Ahmed that he will upload the video on social media, and everyone will get to see that Ahmed was reluctant to chant the slogan. At this point, Ahmed steps aside, places his bag on the floor, and firmly states that he will not chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ or ‘Bharat ki Jai’ simply because someone is coercing him. He emphasises that his religion prohibits it and states that Indian laws grant him the right to make his own choice.

Nasir Ahmed told Alt News that he visited Kangra every year during the winter months, from October to April. “I have been selling shawls and warm clothes in this region for over nine years. I have never experienced such humiliation in the past. Before filming the video, the man forcefully took two hoodie jackets from me without making any payment,” he added.

Asked if he was scared after the humiliation, Ahmed, staying at a customer’s house in Kangra, said, “I have done nothing wrong, so I don’t fear anyone.” He also mentioned that the police brought Barsain to him after the incident, and Barsain asked for forgiveness. The matter was thus ‘resolved’ without a formal complaint being filed.

In the fourth incident reported from the district, Jehangir Ahmad, a resident of a village on the Line of Control in Kashmir’s Kupwara district, was physically assaulted by a man in Dehra Gopipur town in late December while he was trying to sell shawls. 

In a conversation with Alt News, Jehangir Ahmad recounted the incident, stating that he was hawking on the streets when a man began to heckle him. “I was asked to leave the area because Hindus in Bangladesh were being tortured. The man then demanded that I chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ to prove my patriotism and love for the country,” Ahmed said. 

“I told him I am an Indian and have no connection with Bangladesh. But he started to abuse me and beat me up,” he added

When asked about filing a police complaint, Ahmad stated, “Police told me that I lived far away from there and would need to travel from Kashmir to pursue this case. It would be very difficult.”

“The man came to me and apologized, and I forgave him,” he added. 

Another incident of alleged intimidation and harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers was reported in Kangra district on January 31. Two individuals named Sunil Singh and Anil Katoch recorded a live video in which they interrogated three Kashmiri shawl sellers, demanding that they provide documentation to prove their identity. In the caption of the live video, Singh wrote, “I urge everyone watching this video to check whether ‘such people’ have permission to enter your village. Allow them in if they have permission, but do not let them linger if they do not.”

Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand

On December 22, 2025, a Bajrang Dal member, Ankur Pratap Singh, allegedly assaulted and threatened a Kashmiri shawl seller, Bilal Ahmed, in Kashipur town of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand. Singh was later arrested and is currently out on bail.  

A video of the incident that was shared on Instagram by Singh himself and was later deleted, shows him forcing Ahmed to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, to which Ahmed says, ‘Bharat Ki Jai!’. Singh presses him to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. Singh and his other associates are seen verbally abusing and intimidating Ahmed until he is eventually made to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. 

“Which country do you live in? Are you from Pakistan? See these bastards. They live in Kashmir. Look what they have done in Bangladesh,” he says to the camera, while twisting the wrist of Ahmad and launching into a flurry of abuses, slaps and kicks which leave Ahmad visibly shaken. 

The video shows the perpetrator pinning Ahmed on the ground while a few others also join in the assault. “You eat what India provides you. You do business in India and earn here, but you won’t say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’?” 

On Instagram, Singh’s user name is @ankursinghbajrangdal. His timeline is full of videos where he is seen involved in various kinds of vigilantism, be it to ‘protect’ cows or stop ‘Love Jihad’. Instances can be seen here, here and here.     

The video of the assault on Ahmed shared by him on Instagram had the following written in Hindi: “A Kashmiri jihadi. Even after living and doing business in India, he was reluctant to chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai!’, but now he has been ‘treated’ and made to chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.

An FIR was registered against Ankur Singh and four others, all of whom were Bajrang Dal members, after the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association raised the issue with the Uttarakhand DGP. 

Speaking to Alt News, Ankur Singh tried to justify his actions by claiming that Bilal Ahmed was speaking in support of the communal hate crimes and the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh. “That is why we wanted him to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. I made a mistake by assaulting him. But if I come to know about cow slaughter taking place somewhere, and if police do not act, I will take things into my own hands,” he said.  

Kaithal, Haryana

On December 23, Mohammad Rashid Irfan, a shawl vendor from Kashmir, was heckled, abused, and assaulted in the Kalayat area of Kaithal district in Haryana, simply for being a Kashmiri Muslim.

Footage of the incident available on social media shows a man speaking in the Haryanvi dialect confronting Irfan and demanding that he chant ‘Vande Mataram’. It is essential for Indians to do so, he tells Irfan. When Imran remains silent, the man threatens him by referring to the incident of Dipu Chandra Das’s lynching in Bangladesh. Irfan retorts by saying that such incidents might occur in Bangladesh, but this is India, and Kashmir is a part of India. The man then pressures him to refer to the country as Bharat instead of India.

Irfan tries to explain that his religion does not permit saying ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. Bit it does allow the killing of Hindus, the harasser claims. “No, it doesn’t,” replies Irfan. The heckler, now furious, demands that the Kashmiri shawl seller leave with all his belongings and associates. He threatens to burn their possessions and even announces that he will burn down Muslims.

In a conversation with Alt News, Irfan stated that he had been selling shawls in those areas for the past 10 years and had never experienced such hatred before. “He abused me, accosted me, and made sure I left the area. I’ve never felt such humiliation. It broke my heart,” Irfan said.

“I have visited the area after the attack because I have customers there. I have not encountered the man after that, but a fear lingers in me,” he added. 

News reports have quoted Kaithal SP Upasana Yadav as stating that police took suo motu cognizance of the matter and registered a case immediately. Alt News contacted Kalayat Police and an officer informed us that no arrests had been made so far and investigation was still on. The perpetrator was yet to be traced and arrested, we were told. 

Irfan told Alt News the man who abused and heckled him did the same to another shawl seller, Ghulam Nabi Taga.

When Alt News spoke to Taga, he shared with us an alarming experience that he had on December 24. A man allegedly approached him and forced him to chant ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. Taga said he was also threatened with being set on fire. Since there was no video evidence of the incident, it went unnoticed. When asked if he reported the incident to the police, Taga said, “I thought about it, but felt too scared to proceed. This was the first time I faced such intimidation while working in Kaithal. I do feel scared.”

Fatehabad, Haryana

In Fatehabad, Haryana, a Kashmiri youth selling warm clothes was approached and intimidated by an individual on December 28. The assailant grabbed the vendor by his collar and forced him to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. During this confrontation, the attacker was also twisting the seller’s other hand. In a video capturing the incident, bystanders can be seen urging the man to stop harassing the shawl seller.

Fatehabad SP Sidhant Jain told the media that both the vendor and the man were brought to the police station and the man had been “counselled”. The vendor had been asked to file a formal complaint, he added.

Una, Himachal Pradesh

In another incident of intimidation in January at Saloh in Una district of Himachal Pradesh, a Kashmiri shawl seller was approached by a local resident who demanded to see his Aadhaar card and other identification documents. The seller’s identity cards and documents were filmed and shared on social media, with a caption inscribed on the video that translates to, “We must take care of Saloh village together. Jai Himachal.”

When the seller, Abdul Waheed Gorjee, a resident of Gulgam district in Kupwara, shared his police verification document, the local resident claimed that the permit had expired, stating it was issued in 2025 and that it was now 2026. However, the permit clearly stated that the seller was authorized to conduct business for six months, effective from December 27, 2025.

Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh

In Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, a Kashmiri shawl seller named Abdul Ahad Khan filed a police complaint against several individuals who assaulted him and damaged his goods. According to police, the assailants, who were wearing masks, arrived on a motorcycle and attacked Khan, resulting in damage to his merchandise. 

Bilaspur SP Sandeep Dhawal told the Indian Express, “Efforts are underway to identify the three suspects. We are examining CCTV footage from the Ghumarwin main market to trace the accused and the motorcycle they were using.”

According to the report, an FIR had been registered under Sections 126(2), 115(2) and 324(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Lucknow

On Jail Road in Lucknow, several Kashmiri dry fruit vendors were heckled and harassed in January by a man wearing a saffron scarf along with others, who demanded that they chant ‘Vande Mataram’ and leave the area.

Which Side is the State on?

If there is one thing this documentation makes clear, it is this: Kashmiri shawl sellers — once welcomed as winter’s familiar visitors — are now treated as suspects in their own country. Stopped at will, asked to prove who they are, they are compelled to perform patriotism in public to justify their right to earn a living.

This suggests a growing undercurrent of xenophobia and Islamophobia, where citizenship feels conditional and belonging is shaped by fear  — where Kashmir is claimed as “ours,” even as Kashmiris themselves are made to feel like outsiders.

One striking feature across many of these incidents is that videos of the harassment and assault are often recorded by the perpetrators themselves and shared online. In most circumstances, such footage — clearly depicting criminal acts — could serve as evidence against those involved. That it does not appear to act as a deterrent suggests a degree of impunity enjoyed by the attackers.

This raises a larger question: Does such brazenness stem from a belief that the state will not act against them, or may even be on their side? If so, the problem at hand is deeper and extends beyond individual cases. The criminal justice system rests on the premise that the state is on the side of the victims and seeks to hold perpetrators accountable. If that framework is disturbed, the consequences are far-reaching.

In late January, the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association (JKSA) wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention into a “disturbing and sustained pattern of identity-based harassment and violence” against Kashmiri shawl sellers and workers across North Indian states.

In a conversation with Alt News, JKSA national convenor Naseer Khuehami alleged that a “reign of terror” had emerged in some north Indian states. According to Khuehami, the attacks and harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers were not isolated incidents but reflected a “designed campaign”.

“The perpetrators are emboldened by ideological and institutional backing. Even if someone is arrested, they are not in jail for long. In several cases, FIRs were registered, but the charges were so lenient that the offenders got bail easily or spent a maximum of five days in custody,” he said. 

“Himachal Pradesh, where most number of attacks have been reported, is a Congress-ruled state. I do not know what accounts for the government’s silence and lack of outrage. It appears that the administration believes in selective condemnation and selective protection,” Khuehami added. 

 

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