RISHIKESH: As communal tensions rise over an alleged love jihad bid, Muslim shopkeepers continue to shut down their businesses and leave Purola in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi, bringing the number of such desertions in the town to at least eight.
On Sunday, Shakil and Sons, a prominent garment shop in Purola for over four decades, made the difficult decision to abandon their shop and move to Dehradun. Shakil, the shop proprietor, mentioned that his father migrated to Purola 42 years ago and set up a roadside stall to sell garments.
“Following in my father’s footsteps, I established this clothing store around 15 years ago, but now I have decided to move out due to the worsening situation,” he said.
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At least eight Muslim traders and shopkeepers have left Purola since the protests broke out over the abduction of a minor Hindu girl by two individuals, including a person named Uved Khan, on May 31.
Additionally, three more shop owners from Barkot and Naugaon towns in the Yamuna Valley have also closed their businesses.
The abduction has sparked agitation, with local businessmen and traders observing a day-long bandh (strike) on Saturday against the increasing incidents of love jihad and the presence of outsiders.
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In response, the state police have launched a verification drive and detained the two youths involved in the abduction. However, Hindu groups have expressed dissatisfaction with the police response and raised concerns about the protection of “Hindu daughters” in the region.
The police have held discussions with both communities, appealing for peace and emphasizing the importance of maintaining law and order. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also issued a plea for calm, warning against any disruptions to the state’s law and order.
The protests have now expanded to the Gangotri region, where locals have vowed not to allow shops owned or rented by non-local individuals to open until police verification is conducted.
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