Angry protesters attack Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad, demand name change amid India-Pak tensions
Protesters targeted Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad, demanding a name change amid rising India-Pakistan tensions.
Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad was attacked by a group of protesters days after facing backlash over its name as tensions between India and Pakistan flared during Operation Sindoor. On Sunday, a group of 10-15 men gathered outside the 73-year-old bakery and raised "anti-Pakistan slogans", news agency PTI reported.
Videos shared on social media showed a group wearing saffron scarves storming an outlet of the bakery chain to demand a change in its name. They gathered in front of Karachi Bakery at Shamshabad while holding tricolour flags and allegedly tried to damage the outlet's nameboard by hitting it with sticks. However, no major damage was reported to the outlet or the staff, an Indian Express report said.
The viral clips showed policemen present even as the men continued to attack the outlet's signboard. Police said that the protesters was dispersed soon after.
Videos on social media showed the store's nameboard partially covered with a cloth. A complaint has been filed against the protesters, accusing them of blocking the entry of by staging the protest in front of the outlet, PTI said.
Owners defend name
The owners of Karachi Bakery, Rajesh and Harish Ramanani, told PTI that the bakery chain is "100 per cent Indian brand" which was founded by their grandfather Khanchand Ramnani in 1953 when he migrated to India after the Partition
“We request the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and senior officers of administration to support to prevent any change in the name. People are putting up tricolour in the outlets of the bakery across the city. Kindly support us as we are an Indian brand and not a Pakistani brand,” they told PTI.
(Also read: Karachi Bakery defends name as protesters storm outlet amid rising India-Pak tensions: ‘Not a Pakistani brand')
The bakery chain had earlier faced backlash in 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Protesters had barged into the bakery's outlet in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar, demanding a change in its name.
