Mussoorie: A disturbing incident in Mussoorie has led to the departure of 16 Kashmiri shawl sellers, who fled the hill station after two of their colleagues were assaulted by local men on April 23, 2025. The incident, captured in a video that went viral, shows the two vendors being slapped, verbally abused, and forced to shut down their shop on Mussoorie’s bustling Mall Road.
The victims, identified as Shabir Ahmed Dar and his roommate Javed Ahmed, have been seasonal vendors in Mussoorie for nearly two decades, splitting their year between selling shawls in Dehradun during winter and in Mussoorie during summer. Dar expressed his heartbreak over the attack, stating, “We have known locals for years, but no one stood up for us. We’ve never misbehaved with anyone. This is the first time such hostility has been directed at us.”
A video showing two #Kashmiri shawl sellers in #Uttarakhand’s #Mussoorie being harassed by three local men surfaced on social media on Tuesday, sparking widespread outrage.
The clip shows the men repeatedly slapping the vendors, hurling abuse, and forcing them to shut their… pic.twitter.com/kq7LSlTjkK
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) April 29, 2025
A video surfaced on social media
A video of three local men harassing two Kashmiri shawl sellers in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, went viral on social media Tuesday, igniting widespread condemnation. The footage shows the men repeatedly slapping the vendors, verbally abusing them, and forcing them to close their roadside stall. Despite one vendor presenting his Aadhaar card to confirm his identity as a resident of Jammu & Kashmir, the assault continued. The men demanded the vendors pack up and leave, persisting with their aggression even after verifying their identity.
The Incident and Immediate Aftermath
On the day of the assault, the group of men accused the vendors of lacking proper identification and demanded that they leave the area immediately. According to Dar, police officers later visited their rented rooms near the mosque late at night, warning them of possible threats against Kashmiris following the Pahalgam terror attack. “The police said they could not guarantee our safety, which made us anxious. We decided to leave,” said Dar.
Dar, Ahmed, and 14 other vendors quickly gathered their belongings and departed for Jammu, leaving behind stock valued at ₹12 lakh, which they fear may now be lost. “This is our livelihood, but safety comes first,” Ahmed lamented.
Police Perspective and Verification Drive
Local police, however, denied forcing anyone to leave. According to officials, they had merely advised unregistered or unverified vendors to comply with documentation requirements. The Dehradun police recently launched a drive to register outsiders, including shopkeepers and tenants, to ensure lawful occupation of spaces.
Mussoorie police have since arrested three individuals connected to the assault. The accused—Suraj Singh, Pradeep Singh, and Abhishek Uniyal—are members of the Bajrang Dal. They were booked under Section 81 of the Uttarakhand Police Act, 2007, which deals with disorderly conduct in public places. Police confirmed that the suspects were challaned and released after apologizing for their actions. Additionally, officials said a rally organized by an outfit called Karni Sena against Kashmiris had been strictly dealt with to prevent further communal tensions.
The Loss and Fear Among Vendors
This exodus marks a bitter turning point for the Kashmiri vendors who have traditionally found Mussoorie welcoming. Ahmed recalled, “Our fathers worked here without facing such threats. Now, we do not know when or if we can return.” Dar’s plea highlights the plight of the community: “Catch the perpetrators of the attack, not us. This work is our only sustenance.”
