Shimla/New Delhi, June 14: In a significant development, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of allegations of harassment, intimidation and attacks on Kashmiri shawl sellers and students in different parts of the country and has registered a formal case on a complaint filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA).
The Commission has registered Case No. 684/90/0/2026 following a complaint submitted earlier this year by JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami. The complaint highlighted a series of incidents involving alleged assaults, discrimination, threats and social profiling faced by Kashmiri shawl traders and students in states including Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Association, the complaint documented cases where Kashmiri shawl sellers were allegedly assaulted, threatened and prevented from carrying out their trade.
In several instances, traders were reportedly forced to leave areas where they had been living and working peacefully for years. Kashmiri students also reported facing denial of accommodation, intimidation, communal profiling and physical threats.
The NHRC had earlier acknowledged the complaint and assigned it Diary No. 4836/CR/2026. The registration of a formal case now marks a crucial step in the Commission's examination of the allegations.
The development comes months after reports of violence, harassment and discrimination against Kashmiris surfaced from different parts of the country.
Despite repeated representations by JKSA to state governments and law enforcement agencies, many affected individuals allegedly continued to live under fear and uncertainty. Some traders were reportedly compelled to shut down their businesses and return to Jammu and Kashmir.
JKSA said the Commission is expected to seek detailed reports from the concerned state governments, police departments and district administrations regarding the incidents highlighted in the complaint.
The reports may include details on FIRs registered, arrests made, action taken against the accused and measures adopted to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiri students and traders residing outside Jammu and Kashmir.
Welcoming the NHRC's intervention, the Association expressed hope that the Commission would thoroughly investigate the incidents and recommend appropriate measures to protect the safety, dignity, livelihood and constitutional rights of Kashmiri citizens living and working across the country.
The Association also urged the Commission to ensure accountability in cases where authorities allegedly failed to respond effectively to complaints or provide adequate protection to vulnerable individuals.
Reiterating its stand, JKSA said Kashmiris are equal citizens of India and are entitled to the same rights, freedoms and protections guaranteed under the Constitution.
It maintained that violence, discrimination, intimidation or exclusion on the basis of identity, region, religion or attire has no place in a democratic society governed by the rule of law.
