Delhi Police on viral video: Have not told hotels not to give rooms to Kashmiris

The video of the incident, which went viral, showed a hotel listed under hotel aggregator Oyo Rooms denying the person a room despite having a booking.

The Delhi Police was at the receiving end of brickbats when reports emerged about a hotel in Delhi not allowing a customer to check-in as he carried an identity card from Jammu & Kashmir. 

The video of the incident, which went viral, showed a hotel listed under hotel aggregator Oyo Rooms denying the person a room despite having a booking.

When confronted, the female staff eventually told the person that there had been instructions from the Delhi Police not to give accommodation to anyone who had an ID card from Jammu & Kashmir. Following that the man is seen politely leaving the hotel. However, the video shot by him was shared by Nasir Khuehami who is believed to be the National Spokesperson of the Jammu & Kashmir Student Association.

As soon as the video went viral, the Delhi Police issued a clarification stating that it had given no such direction. 

"Aggrieved person in the video while posting the same on YouTube has stated that he stayed in the same area in another hotel and it was a lame excuse given by the hotel," the Delhi Police said on Twitter.

"Some netizens are trying to discredit the image of Delhi Police through willful misrepresentation of the video in circulation which can attract penal action," the force added.

'Kashmir Files' gets dragged in too

Khuehami, which sharing the video on Twitter, wrote that the incident was the reflection of the impact of 'The Kashmir Files' on the ground. Describing the incident, he asked whether being a Kashmiri was a crime.

Responding to the Tweet, Oyo Rooms issued a clarification. Stating that it was appalled by the incident, Oyo Rooms said that it had taken the hotel off its platform immediately.

Our rooms and our hearts are open for everyone, always, the hotel aggregator said, adding that this is not something that it will compromise on, ever.