KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Dec 30: After the intervention of the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), the Haryana government has swung into action in connection with the brutal assault on a Kashmiri shawl seller in Kaithal district, with an FIR registered and an intensive manhunt launched to apprehend the accused.
In a statement issued to Kashmir Despatch on Tuesday, the JKSA said that the prompt response by the Haryana Chief Minister, Nayab Singh Saini, has led to swift police action, bringing a sense of relief to the Kashmiri trading community. The Association welcomed what it termed as “decisive and responsible intervention” by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in addressing the matter.
National Convenor of JKSA, Nasir Khuehami, said the issue was immediately taken up with the Haryana Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, Rajeev Jaitly, following which the Association was informed that an FIR had been promptly registered and police teams had been activated to trace the perpetrators.
Khuehami said that Superintendent of Police (SP) Kaithal, Ms. Upasna, personally informed the Association that the case has been registered at Kalayat Police Station under Sections 196(1), 299, and 353(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These sections pertain to criminal intimidation, deliberate acts intended to outrage dignity, and use of force or obstruction. He added that multiple police teams have been constituted and raids are being conducted at various suspected locations to nab the accused at the earliest.
“The police have assured us that the case is being treated with utmost seriousness. Raids are underway, the accused have been identified, and arrests are expected soon,” Khuehami said, adding that the investigation is currently active and progressing swiftly.
The JKSA further stated that the Haryana Chief Minister has taken serious cognisance of the incident and has conveyed in clear terms that harassment, intimidation, or violence against Kashmiri traders or any other community will not be tolerated under any circumstances in the state.
Reiterating the government’s stand, Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Rajeev Jaitly assured Khuehami that strict and exemplary action will be taken against those responsible. He conveyed that the state government is fully committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice, while safeguarding the safety, dignity, and livelihood of all citizens, including traders, workers, and students from the Kashmir Valley who earn their livelihood across Haryana.
The Association also disclosed that another incident involving Kashmiri traders, reported from Fatehabad district of Haryana, is currently under active examination. According to JKSA, the Haryana Chief Minister’s Office has assured that an FIR will be registered in that case as well and that arrests will follow, ensuring that no guilty person escapes the law.
While appreciating the prompt and proactive response of the Haryana government and police, the JKSA expressed deep concern over repeated incidents of harassment and violence faced by Kashmiri shawl sellers and traders in different parts of the country. The Association stressed the need for strict, time-bound, and deterrent action to prevent such incidents from recurring.
The JKSA emphasized that Kashmiri traders have been contributing peacefully to local economies for decades and have built strong bonds with communities across states. “They must be allowed to live and work with dignity, without fear, prejudice, or intimidation,” the Association said.
Expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for his swift intervention, the JKSA added that such timely action sends out a strong and reassuring message that communal hatred will not be allowed to take root and that the rule of law will prevail, irrespective of identity or region.
