Purola village in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand has been witnessing communal tension for the past two weeks. On May 26, what initially appeared to be an abduction incident was given a ‘love jihad’ angle by the media and certain individuals.Media outlets from across the country reported on the situation in Purola on June 15. A Hindu mahapanchayat was scheduled in Purola on that day, but the administration imposed Section 144 and prevented it from happening. Before the mahapanchayat, posters were put up on the shops of Muslim traders in Purola, warning them to leave the village. As a result, most Muslim traders left the town.We interviewed people in Dehradun to investigate whether there were any political motives behind the incident.
