Hindutva vigilantes threaten to shut Muslim shop in UP’s Vrindavan
Lucknow: A Muslim shopkeeper in Uttar Pradesh was harassed and threatened by a Hindutva group that vowed not to allow his shop to reopen, the latest in a pattern of intimidation of Muslim-run businesses in BJP-ruled UP.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the incident took place inside Trades Mall in Vrindavan under PGI Police Station limits. A group led by self-styled gau rakshak Raja Rawat targeted a restaurant run by Arif Muradabadi.
The group objected to a thread tied around a wooden stick used for applying oil on rotis, claiming it was a kalava, a sacred Hindu thread, and questioning its use in a non-vegetarian eatery. The confrontation quickly escalated with threats to shut down the outlet.
Videos of the confrontation circulating on social media show 6 to 7 members of the group harassing the shopkeeper inside the shop and warning that it would not be allowed to reopen.
The incident sparked widespread outrage online. Users accused the group of targeting the shopkeeper’s livelihood because of his religion. “Why does the legal system allow these criminals free rein to openly commit acts of violence and intimidation in the name of religion?” one user wrote on X. No police action has been reported so far.
