Mystery deepens as ‘braid chopping’ incidents remain unanswered
Srinagar: As the braid chopping incidents continue to emerge as a challenge to the police and the administration, fresh incidents of hair cutting have been reported from across the Valley.
In a fresh incident of alleged braid chopping in south Kashmir’s Tral, the alleged choppers cut the hair of a woman in her courtyard. Sources said that the hair of a 45 year old lady, Parveena wife of Abdul Majeed Lone at Nowdal was cut by the unknown persons.
They said that the woman was caught in her courtyard late last night and when she raised hue and cry but the alleged chopper managed to escape from the scene.
Reports from South Kashmir said that braid chopping incidents were reported from Kanelwann, Manpora, and Woupzun areas of CM Mehbooba Mufti’s constituency Bijbhera. They said that nocturnal protests were held in the Bijbhera area.
Sources said that villagers have formed committees to keep an eye on the properties during night as many robberies were reported from different villages of South Kashmir.
In north Kashmir, braid chopping incident was reported from Baramulla town and Singpora Pattan.
In a first of its kind in Baramulla district, braid of a young woman was allegedly cut on Thursday.
Locals in Khoja Bagh area of Baramulla said that an unidentified person cut the braid of a teenage girl during wee hours today.
They said that the girl is living with her parents in private family quarters in Khoja Bagh from the past ten years.
Meanwhile, police termed the incident as a case of mental, emotional and behavioral disorder.
According to a police statement, the victim of the braid chopping is suffering from a psychiatric ailment with dissociative symptoms and has been undergoing medical treatment for that.
The statement said that the girl reported that ‘her braid was chopped during the night, however she was sleeping in the same room with her parents and there seemed to be no possibility of any outsider making entry into the room’.
Police said that during further investigation it was found that the victim girl is suffering from psychiatric ailment with dissociative symptoms and has been undergoing medical treatment for that.
“She was examined by psychiatrist on 28th September with a follow up check up yesterday only in District Hospital Baramulla. Today also a psychiatrist called by police to examine her and the report is awaited,” police said.
The police said that they have also recovered a fresh shaving blade from the spot.
“The girl claimed that braid chopper made entry through the boundary wall and escaped through closed door which manifests conversion disorder (Hysteria).”
The victim is a teenage girl (name withheld) and is living with her family in a rented accommodation in Khawaja Bagh Baramulla. According to the sources, the family is hailing originally from Uri and the father of the girl works in Police department.
The police said that further investigating of the case is going on, taking into account all circumstances and facts.
Baramulla Police also expressed profound gratitude to the people of the area who cooperated with police and allowed us to conduct investigation without any interference.
Meanwhile, the braid choppers allegedly cut the braid of the local women in Singhpora Pattan and Samboora Pulwama in the wee hours of Thursday. The locals claimed that they have caught hold of braid choppers in the respective areas.
Soon after the incidents, people blocked the roads and protested against the authorities for failing to take action against the accused.
According to the sources, an alleged braid chopper sneaked into one of the residential houses in Singhpora area of Pattan in Baramulla district and chopped off hair of a young lady.
The lady raised hue and cry which alarmed the locals who nabbed the alleged braid chopper. Local sources said that police has taken the alleged chopper along.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted in Samboora village of Pulwama after the locals caught hold of an alleged braid chopper. Police said that youth pelted stones on police personnel who had reached Samboora after the former caught hold of an alleged braid-chopper. “As soon as we heard about the incident, we tried to reach at the spot but the youth pelted stones,” a police official said.
Police lobbed teargas shells to disperse the youth, said a local, adding that several youth were detained.
Protests also erupted in Baghat area of Srinagar after locals alleged a braid chopping incident. People came out on road raising slogans, sources said and added they pelted stones on police. The police in retaliation fired many tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters.
Meanwhile, in Srinagar, the braid of 6th standard girl was chopped in Noor Bagh area of Srinagar. The girl was identified as Maria Fayaz, daughter of Fayaz Ahmad Wani.
Pertinently, Police yesterday has stated that people are not cooperating in the investigation of the braid chopping incidents and had requested to cooperate with the police to nab the culprits.
KV Correspondent
