Kashmir shawl trader assaulted in Bengal

Kolkata, Feb 21: A Kashmiri shawl trader was beaten up by a mob in Nadia and one person has been arrested in this connection, police said.

Javed Khan, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, was beaten up at the Taherpur bazar area at around 7 pm on Monday, days after the terrorist attack at Pulwama in Kashmir that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

Since Khan was reluctant to lodge a police complaint, a suo motu case was started which led to the arrest, Superintendent of Police (Nadia) Rupesh Kumar said.

Khan is a shawl trader who used to visit Taherpur frequently, sources said, adding that he owns a shawl counter in the market and many people of the locality knew him.

They said a few Kashmiris stay together at a rented house in the locality and Khan was one of them.

On Monday, a few people attacked Khan when he was in his shop. Soon, more people gathered and beat him up. In the end, it was the police who came to Khan's rescue, officials said.

Khan has been advised by police to temporarily leave the area, sources said.