At least 42 shopkeepers in Purola, Uttarkashi have fled owing to the protests by right wing groups in the area over the alleged abduction of a minor girl by two men. On Friday, Ubed Khand and Jitendra Kumar Saini, working at a bicycle repair shop on Kumola road, were accused of kidnapping a class 9 student in Kharsadi Mori Purola.
Outrage sparked over this incident and the Muslim community in the area is being targeted by the right wing groups as one of the accused is a Muslim. A procession was carried out by right wing groups as also businessmen of the area and shouted slogans against the Muslim community while threatening them to vacate their shops. Fearing violence, 42 shopkeepers and vendors like street hawkers, vegetable vendors, bicycle repair persons and other such small businesses reportedly fled the area.
The protesting group also sent a memorandum to the Governor through SDM Devanand Sharma demanding the immediate removal of businessmen from a particular community, with a criminal mindset. The procession then turned into an angry mob and removed the boards of the shops where the accused were working, reported Dainik Jagran.
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