Lucknow: Two dry fruit vendors from Kashmir who were sitting on a busy road in Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow were attacked by a group of men belonging to a fringe right-wing group yesterday. One of the men had shared a video of the assault, reports the ndtv.com.

The incident took place 5 pm yesterday in Daliganj in central Lucknow. The men who assaulted the traders can be heard in mobile videos saying that are doing it because they are from Kashmir.

Many local residents of Lucknow came to the rescue of the dry fruit sellers and stopped the saffron-clad men from further assault. 

The men who were beaten have been selling dry fruits in Lucknow for many years.

A case of rioting and breach of peace has been registered and one person has been arrested, the police said. “A case has been filed in the Hazratganj police station. A search is on for the accused. An investigation will be done,’ police officer Amit Kumar said.

However, the main accused, who claims to be  the president of the Vishwa Hindu Dal, has not been arrested and has been posting updates on Facebook. The video of the attack that he shared on Facebook has been taken down.

Since the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama in which over 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers were killed, there have been numerous reports of people from Kashmir being targeted and harassed in various parts of the country. The alleged harassment had promoted the central government to issue an advisory to the states to ensure their safety.