By TNN
DEHRADUN/PITHORAGARH: Nearly a year after traders from the minority community in Purola town of Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district were targeted by locals and forced to leave the area, a similar situation is brewing in the Kumaon hills.
At least 86 traders belonging to the minority community were asked to leave Dharchula town of Pithoragarh district by the local traders’ association after a barber of the minority community was arrested for allegedly abducting two minor girls of the majority community and taking them to his UP hometown last month.
Last May, similar tension erupted in Purola town after two men, including one from minority community, were arrested for abducting a minor girl of other community. Locals, including traders of that community led by right-wing outfits, had then held protests raising provocative slogans asking traders of minority community to “leave the town”
This story was originally published in timesofindia.indiatimes.com.