<p>Several hundreds of Kashmiris, who used to eke out a livelihood by selling woollen clothes in Patna and adjoining areas, are suddenly leaving Bihar lock, stock and apparel.</p>.<p>Reason: Fear has gripped them after some of the Kashmiri shopkeepers were assaulted by few self-proclaimed Hindu nationalists owing allegiance to the ruling party.</p>.<p>These unidentified shady elements, protesting Pulwama terror attack, not only thrashed these poor Kashmiris in Patna but asked them to leave Bihar in a week.</p>.<p>At least five shopkeepers sustained injuries in the attack by marauders on Budh Marg.</p>.<p>One of them, Mazid Ahmad, was grievously injured and had to be admitted to a government hospital. </p>.<p>“This is the first time in the last 35 years that we have to face such an attack in Bihar, a state where we do brisk business from October to March,” said Bashir Ahmad Wani, head of the Kashmiri shopkeepers, in Patna. </p>.<p>Though police was deployed at Lhasa Market, the main hub where these Kashmiris sell sweaters, shawls and other woollen garments, the J-K traders have decided to wind up their business.</p>.<p>When this DH correspondent went to meet them at Lhasa Market, they had already left lock, stock and apparel.</p>.<p>“They, along with their woollen garments, left after their colleagues were attacked two days ago. The miscreants had thrown and damaged their woollen clothes,” said the security guard at the market.</p>.<p>“Normally, we used to return to Kashmir by mid-March. But since the situation has turned volatile, where the so-called nationalists are chanting slogans against us, painting a wrong picture of Kashmiri Muslims and warning us to leave Bihar, it’s better that we leave for our home state,” one of the panic-struck shopkeepers at Sabzibagh, requesting anonymity, told DH. </p>
<p>Several hundreds of Kashmiris, who used to eke out a livelihood by selling woollen clothes in Patna and adjoining areas, are suddenly leaving Bihar lock, stock and apparel.</p>.<p>Reason: Fear has gripped them after some of the Kashmiri shopkeepers were assaulted by few self-proclaimed Hindu nationalists owing allegiance to the ruling party.</p>.<p>These unidentified shady elements, protesting Pulwama terror attack, not only thrashed these poor Kashmiris in Patna but asked them to leave Bihar in a week.</p>.<p>At least five shopkeepers sustained injuries in the attack by marauders on Budh Marg.</p>.<p>One of them, Mazid Ahmad, was grievously injured and had to be admitted to a government hospital. </p>.<p>“This is the first time in the last 35 years that we have to face such an attack in Bihar, a state where we do brisk business from October to March,” said Bashir Ahmad Wani, head of the Kashmiri shopkeepers, in Patna. </p>.<p>Though police was deployed at Lhasa Market, the main hub where these Kashmiris sell sweaters, shawls and other woollen garments, the J-K traders have decided to wind up their business.</p>.<p>When this DH correspondent went to meet them at Lhasa Market, they had already left lock, stock and apparel.</p>.<p>“They, along with their woollen garments, left after their colleagues were attacked two days ago. The miscreants had thrown and damaged their woollen clothes,” said the security guard at the market.</p>.<p>“Normally, we used to return to Kashmir by mid-March. But since the situation has turned volatile, where the so-called nationalists are chanting slogans against us, painting a wrong picture of Kashmiri Muslims and warning us to leave Bihar, it’s better that we leave for our home state,” one of the panic-struck shopkeepers at Sabzibagh, requesting anonymity, told DH. </p>