SRINAGAR — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of alleged incidents of harassment, intimidation and attacks against Kashmiri shawl sellers and students in different parts of the country, registering a formal case on a complaint filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA).
The Commission has registered the matter as Case No. 684/90/0/2026 following a complaint submitted by JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami, who had approached the human rights body over a series of incidents reported from several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Association, the complaint highlighted instances in which Kashmiri shawl sellers were allegedly assaulted, threatened, harassed and prevented from carrying out their trade. In some cases, traders were reportedly forced to leave areas where they had been living and working for years.
The complaint also raised concerns about incidents involving Kashmiri students who allegedly faced intimidation, denial of accommodation, communal profiling and physical threats in different parts of the country.
The development marks a significant step in the matter, as the Commission had earlier acknowledged the complaint and assigned it a diary number before formally registering the case for further examination.
JKSA said the NHRC is expected to seek reports from the concerned state governments and law enforcement agencies regarding the incidents cited in the complaint. The reports are likely to cover the status of FIRs, arrests, action taken against the accused and measures adopted to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students and traders residing outside Jammu and Kashmir.
