KOHIMA: Yet another incident of hate crime against people from the Northeast in mainland India has come to fore.
Two men from Nagaland were assaulted by a mob for “selling non-vegetarian and Northeastern food” in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
This incident took place on Sunday night.
The two victims from Nagaland have been identified as Rovimezo Kehie and Mapuyanger Jamir.
The victims work at an eatery named One Stop Northeast.
The victims also lodged an FIR in connection with the incident at Sola police station in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The attackers hit the two men from Nagaland with baseball bats.
They also questioned the duo “for selling Northeastern food”.
When a customer tried to intervene, he too was hit by the attackers.
In fact, the attackers threatened the two men from Nagaland of dire consequences if they sold Northeastern food in the city again.
Both the men suffered injuries in the incident and were treated at the Sola civil hospital.
Meanwhile, this incident of hate crime has evoked sharp responses from many.
Nagaland BJP president and state minister Temjen Imna Along has condemned the incident.
“I am deeply pained to hear about the recent hate crime against two men from Nagaland who were attacked for selling non-vegetarian and northeastern food,” Along said.
He added: “It is disheartening to see our brothers from the northeastern region being targeted and discriminated against for their cultural identity and food choices.”