This petition is addressed to:

The Chief Ministers and Directors General of Police of Concerned States,
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India,
The National Human Rights Commission,
The University Grants Commission,
And Concerned Civil Liberties and Human Rights Organizations.

We, the undersigned citizens of India, express grave concern over the increasing harassment, intimidation, assault, and discrimination faced by Kashmiri students, vendors, shawl sellers, and small traders across several states in India over the past two years.

Kashmiri traders and vendors have for decades travelled across the country to earn their livelihood through lawful and peaceful means. In recent years, however, they have increasingly been subjected to violence, threats, humiliation, and forced displacement solely on account of their identity and place of origin. Kashmiri students studying in different parts of India continue to be subjected to increasing hostility, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation in hostels/rented accommodation, pressure to vacate residences, including social and academic discrimination.

The people of Kashmir are entitled to the fundamental values of equality, dignity, and freedom guaranteed by the Constitution of India. 

Article 14: the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.

Article 15: the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.
No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment; or the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public. 

Article 19(1)(d): all citizens shall have the right to move freely throughout the territory of India.

Article 19(1)(g): all citizens shall have the right to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business. 

Article 21: No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty.

The repeated harassment and insecurity faced by Kashmiri students, venders, and traders directly undermine these constitutional protections. 

Equality and Non-Discrimination (Articles 14 & 15):
Article 14 is the bedrock of the Indian Constitution, ensuring equality before the Law. It prohibits the state from denying any person equality within the territory.
Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. 
When traders are targeted specifically because of their regional identity (Kashmir), it arguably constitutes a violation of Article 15. If the state fails to provide the same level of security to Kashmiri traders as it does to local traders, it creates a "de facto" discriminatory environment. 

Freedom of Movement:
Article 19(1)(d) of the Indian Constitution guarantees all citizens the fundamental right "to move freely throughout the territory of India". This right ensures freedom of movement within the country, including between states and within a state.

The Right to Livelihood:
Article 19(1)(g) guarantees the right to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business. The state must maintain an environment where this is possible. The Impact of Harassment — constant insecurity and threats — function as an extra-legal barrier to trade. If a person cannot physically open their shop or travel to a market without fear, the right guaranteed under 19(1)(g) becomes hollow.

These incidents not only destroy livelihoods but also weaken social harmony and public trust in the rule of law.

Protection of Life and Personal Liberty:
Article 21 of the Indian Constitution affirms that every individual has the right to live, and their life cannot be taken away. It is a fundamental, non-derogable right ensuring that life implies more than mere animal existence; it mandates a life with dignity, incorporating rights to health, shelter, privacy, and a clean environment.

 

Documented Incidents  (April 2025 – Early 2026)

Over the past year and a half, multiple incidents across states in India indicate a clear and worrying pattern:

Instances of targeting Kashmiri Vendors and Traders

• April 2025 — Mussoorie, Uttarakhand — two Kashmiri shawl sellers were assaulted on Mall Road. Following the attack, around 16 other vendors left the town out of fear.

• 2025 Trading Season — Himachal Pradesh — several Kashmiri vendors reported repeated harassment, intimidation, and threats in different districts. Community groups documented 18+ incidents during the season.

• December 2025 — Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand — a Kashmiri vendor was assaulted, robbed, and threatened with death while selling shawls.

• December 2025 — Fatehabad, Haryana — a Kashmiri youth was harassed and forced to chant nationalist slogans while conducting his trade.

• January 2026 — Dehradun, Uttarakhand — two Kashmiri teenagers were brutally assaulted, suffering serious head and body injuries.

• February 2026 — Himachal Pradesh — another Kashmiri vendor was attacked shortly after the Dehradun incident, indicating continuing threats.

Instances of targeting of Kashmiri Students

• February 2025 — Vijayapura, Karnataka — a second-year Kashmiri MBBS student from Al-Ameen Medical College was reportedly subjected to brutal ragging, humiliation and physical assault by senior students. The harassment included forced demeaning acts, threats, and entry into his hostel room.

• April 2025 — Punjab & Haryana — reports emerged of a Kashmiri student and her friend being harassed in Mohali, prompting action from the Punjab State Women’s Commission. In response to safety concerns, more than 100 Kashmiri students reportedly returned to Jammu & Kashmir, and Haryana authorities publicly assured protective measures would be taken.

• April 2025 — Delhi — a Kashmiri student at Jamia Millia Islamia University was allegedly assaulted by a campus mess worker. The accused was detained, and student groups condemned the incident as indicative of wider safety concerns for Kashmiri students.

• 2025 — Multiple States — Following reports of harassment, the Jammu & Kashmir Students’ Association issued advisories asking students to remain indoors and activated emergency helplines.

• 2025–26 — Various Cities — Kashmiri students reported difficulties in securing accommodation, profiling by landlords, and repeated police verification.

 

Summary of Trends

• Incidents reported in multiple states

• Rising frequency since April 2025

• Physical assaults and serious injuries

• Forced displacement of traders

• Public humiliation and intimidation

• Weak or delayed protection mechanisms

These cases show a sustained pattern rather than isolated incidents.

When any group is targeted for who they are, it threatens the safety and freedom of all citizens.

Kashmiri vendors are among the most economically vulnerable sections of society. Many depend entirely on seasonal travel for survival. Attacks and intimidation deprive families of income and push communities into crisis.
 
When both livelihood earners and students are targeted, it reflects a deeper failure to protect a community’s basic rights. Traders are deprived of income, while students are deprived of safety and educational security. Together, this creates long-term social and economic harm.

Protecting the rights of the people of Kashmir, is upholding the Constitution and preserving India’s democratic character. Ensuring the safety of Kashmiri  traders, vendors, and students therefore becomes much more than a legal obligation, it is also a recognition of their personhood and dignity.

Our Demands

We respectfully urge the concerned authorities and institutions to:

Ensure immediate and visible police protection for Kashmiri vendors in vulnerable regions.

Register FIRs promptly and conduct time-bound investigations in all reported cases.

Prosecute perpetrators without political or social bias.

Issue public advisories to prevent discrimination and vigilantism.

Establish grievance and helpline mechanisms for migrant and travelling vendors.

Conduct sensitization for police and local administrations.

Invite independent civil liberties organizations to independently monitor these cases.

Provide compensation and rehabilitation where livelihoods have been disrupted.

Direct universities and colleges to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students in hostels, campuses, and private accommodation.

Strengthen and enforce grievance redressal mechanisms in educational institutions to address discrimination and harassment against students.

Facilitate cooperation with human rights and legal advocacy organizations, and encourage them to consider appropriate legal remedies, including Public Interest Litigation, where systemic failures are identified.