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Misunderstanding, not identity, led to attack on Kashmiri shawl sellers: Cop
Senior sub-inspector Sheeshupal Rana of the Vikasnagar police station said their investigation led them to believe that the accused attacked the victims in a fit of rage.
DEHRADUN: A Kashmiri shawl seller and his younger brother, who were attacked in Dehradun’s Vikasnagar area on January 28, were not assaulted because of their identity but over a misunderstanding, a police officer said on Friday.
The officer also said that only one person, a 50-year-old shopkeeper, Sanjay Yadav, was involved in the incident. Yadav was arrested on Thursday after Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah spoke to his counterpart, Pushkar Singh Dhami, and sought strict action against the perpetrators.
In his January 28 complaint to the police, Danish (18) said he was in the Vikasnagar area with his younger brother, Tabiz (17), to sell shawls. “When we went to buy snacks from a shop, the shopkeeper asked about our identity. After we told him that we were from Kashmir, he abused us and made communal remarks. He, along with another person, attacked us with sticks and an iron rod,” Danish said.
Senior sub-inspector Sheeshupal Rana of the Vikasnagar police station said their investigation led them to believe that the accused attacked the victims in a fit of rage.
“The victims were not attacked because of their identity. The accused believed that the brothers were abusing him while speaking in their native language, which led to the incident,” said Rana.
Rana said police believe the shopkeeper, who is currently in a local jail, acted alone.
“Our investigation has revealed that only one accused was involved in the attack, although initially it was believed that two people were involved. The accused was arrested on Thursday and has been sent to judicial custody,” he said.
“The statements of the complainants suggest that they may have misunderstood the situation. No one else was present in the shop. Only the shopkeeper attacked them with a stick. His wife came out after hearing the commotion,” the police officer said.
A case under sections 117(2) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered against Sanjay Yadav at the Vikasnagar police station on Wednesday.
Rana said Tabiz stitches on his head, but did not have a fracture as previously believed. “His CT scan report shows no fracture. His elder brother, Danish, also did not sustain any serious injury to his shoulder,” he said.
The incident drew strong reactions from Jammu and Kashmir Students Association convenor Nasir Khuehami, who approached the Uttarakhand director general of police (DGP), Deepam Seth, and received assurances of strict action against the perpetrators.
“Following the assault on an 18-year-old Kashmiri boy from Kupwara in the Vikasnagar area, we took up the matter with the DGP, who assured us that strict action would be taken. An FIR has been registered against Sanjay Yadav and another individual, and Yadav has been taken into custody. Legal proceedings are underway,” Khuehami said.
