No let up in ‘braid chopping’ incidents; Protests, strikes continue across Kashmir
Srinagar: As authorities have failed to solve the jigsaw puzzle surrounding the incidents of ‘braid chopping’, women continue to be targeted giving rise to more protests and strikes across the Kashmir valley.
Protests erupted in Batmaloo area of Srinagar when a braid of a woman was chopped off in the early hours of Friday. Reports said that an unknown person entered into a residential house of a Tasleema and poured some spray on her face leaving her partially unconscious.
“I went upstairs to pick up some dry vegetables. When I bent down to pick the vegetables , someone threw a tie around my neck and sprayed something on my face. I don’t know after that,” the victim said.
Her hair was found chopped off by her family. Soon after the incident, people took to the streets to protest against the incident.
Meanwhile, the braid of a 35-year-old woman was chopped off in Ajas area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Friday afternoon.
Locals said that the woman (name withheld) was in the washroom of her house when some unknown person barged inside and chopped off her hair. Locals said that the person managed to flee from the spot within no time after the incident.
Local residents staged a protest at Ajas chowk against the incident. Reports said that the protesters raised anti-government and pro-Islam slogans.
In south Kashmir, braid of a teenager was chopped off in the second attempt when she was in her house in Malpora Tahab. According to the reports, Rafia Mohi ud din, daughter of Mohi ud din Ganaie, a 1st year student was in her court yard when some unknown persons sprayed something on her face and managed to flee after cutting her hair.
Earlier, two days ago, Rafia was attacked but managed to flee from the clutches of the braid choppers when she raised hue and cry and alarmed the neighbors.
Meanwhile, the residents of Batengoo and Uranhall blocked the Srinagar-Jammu highway near Uranhall in Anantnag district of south Kashmir to protest against increasing braid-chopping incidents.
Sources said that the protesters were demanding action against the culprits involved in these braid chopping incidents and were shouting slogans against administration for failing to curb the braid chopping incidents.
Witnesses added that soon after locals blocked highway, forces reached to the spot and fired some sound shells to disperse the protesters. Sources added that due to protests, traffic remained halted for a while on national highway. However, the situation soon became normal in the area, sources added.
Meanwhile, in north Kashmir’s Sopore town, braid of a 40 year old woman was chopped off in Khushal Matoo area of town on Friday early morning.
Reports said” that the woman (name withheld) was in kitchen at her home when unknown person sprayed something on her, knocking her unconscious, and chopped her braid. She was later taken to SDH Sopore in an unconscious state.
Meanwhile, soon after the incident hundreds of people assemble at main Chowk area of town and started protest demonstration against the incident. However, police reached the spot to foil the protest by lobbing scores of tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters, which triggered clashes in the area.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in Sopore town to mark as a protest of this fresh braid chopping incident in main town Sopore.
Meanwhile, in Uri town of Baramulla, locals claimed to have arrested three braid choppers on Friday.
According to the reports, locals of Batengoo Boniyar alleged that the braid choppers who were caught during the Friday night were working with the army. Local said that they have seized the mobile phones from the alleged braid choppers and handed them to the police.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Range, Munir Ahmad Khan told a local news gathering agency that two incidents of alleged braid chopping were reported today.
“The alleged braid chopping incidents were reported from Sopore and Batamaloo area today,” he said.
KV Correspondent
