SRINAGAR: Hours after a Kashmiri shawl seller, Shafi Khoja from Kupwara district, was brutally attacked by three miscreants, leaving him with multiple bruises all over his body after being punched, slapped, dragged, and then looted in Kapurthala, Punjab, the Punjab Chief Secretary, K.A.P. Sinha, informed the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) that swift action had been taken. The Punjab Police have registered an FIR against the accused, and efforts are underway to bring them to justice.
Chief Secretary Sinha, through a phone call to Jammu and Kashmir National Convenor Nasir Khuehami, informed him that an FIR (No. 12 dated 19-01-2025) had been formally registered at Sultanpur Lodhi Police Station in Kapurthala district under various sections, including 307, 309, 127(2), 351(2), 382, 390, 341, and 506 of the IPC. He stated that one of the accused, identified as Rajkaran, a resident of the Dandupur area in Kapurthala, was arrested within 24 hours.
The other two accomplices have been identified, and police teams are actively pursuing their arrest. The Chief Secretary also mentioned that the bike used in the attack had been seized as part of the investigation. Khuehami expressed gratitude for the prompt response of the Punjab Chief Secretary in apprehending the miscreants and ensuring that a strong message is sent against such intolerable acts. "This swift action reinforces the commitment of the Punjab Government to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiri people in the state," he said.
Chief Secretary Sinha, in his assurance to the JKSA, said, "We are committed to ensuring the safety of students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in the state and Kashmiri laborers working here. They will not be harmed or harassed at any cost."The National Spokesperson of the Association, Malik Adnan, expressed gratitude to the proactive stance and intervention of Punjab Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha and DGP Gaurav Yadav.
He said that, "We are grateful to the Punjab Chief Secretary for his prompt intervention in apprehending the miscreants. We also thank Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav for his assistance in identifying the perpetrators and ensuring that a strong message is sent against such intolerable acts," Adnan said. He further reaffirmed the association's commitment to the safety of Kashmiri students and laborers in Punjab. The association emphasized that Kashmiri shawl sellers have long contributed to the local economy and have become an integral part of Punjab's social fabric. "These hardworking individuals deserve respect and a safe environment to earn their livelihood," the association said.
