KNZ NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR: The mysterious braid choppers appeared in Batamaloo where they sprayed some substance on a woman, cut her hair and fled.
The woman, identified as Bilqueis, is a resident of Moominabad. The mother of two does not remember much other than they blew some powder towards her and she fell unconscious. However, she remembers the choppers were hooded. She has actually said they wore Abhaya. She said they had only their eyes open, rest was shielded.
A Batamalooo homemaker whose braid was cut after making her unconscious being comforted by her relatives.
This led to massive protest in the area. Mulzim Kou Peash Karoo was one of the slogans. They were shouting anti-police slogans as well.
Earlier in the day, a young lady in Chewdara (Budgam) suffered a haircut at the hands of the mysterious hair-cutters. Identified as Nageena, she was alone at home. It was a neighbour who found the woman unconscious with chopped braid. Her family was busy in the harvest.
The braid cutting crisis is getting mysterious and tense with every passing day. Though the police have set up help lines and doubled up the reward to Rs 6 lakh, there are not any clear answers on this issue. The government at all levels have been issuing statements but the crisis is getting complicated.
Earlier in the day, police said vested interests are “spreading rumours” that government forces were behind braid chopping incidents.
“The incidents seem similar to what was happening in the rest of the country but here, there is a chance that separatists and terrorists might use the incidents to their benefit,’’ S P Vaid, state police chief, was quoted saying by the Hindustan Times.
In Shopian, Deputy Commissioner said the government has taken cognizance of an incident of braid chopping and stringent legal action is being initiated against culprits. He also said Saima, the victim of braid chopping, has recovered consciousness and was feeling better. He said people must not panic and appealed all to desist from spreading rumors in this regard.
