SrinagarIn an unprecedented move people across Kashmir valley observed a complete strike to protest recent phenomenon of braid cutting of women by unidentified persons who separatists, the proponents of the strike, allege are patronized by the state.
Normal life was hit as markets remained shut and streets were deserted on the strike called by Joint Resistance Leadership.
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On its part police imposed restrictions in many city areas and in major towns to preempt any move by people to hold protests against the unabated incidents which have created fear and chaos in many areas in length and breadth of Kashmir.
Already a 70 year old man was killed after a vigilante mob mistook him as a brad chopper in Anantnag in South Kashmir last week.
JRL had called for a shutdown against the unabated braid-chopping incidents in the Valley, calling them as an attack on the dignity of women.
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Shutdown was also observed in other parts of Kashmir including Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla.
Nearly 100 braid chopping incidents have been reported from many parts of Kashmir Valley, including capital Srinagar during past two months. The victims have told their families and police that unknown persons cut their hair after knocking them unconscious with some spray.
The police have formed Special Investigation Teams to probe the incidents. However, so far the police and the authorities have failed to find any clues.
The police have announced a reward of Rs six lakh for credible information leading to arrest of any person behind braid chopping incidents. So far, no arrests have been made.
At several places, vigilante mobs have thrashed suspects mistaking them for actual culprits.
Clashes and protests against braid chopping incidents were reported from different parts of Kashmir Valley. Reports said that police used tear-smoke shells to disperse protesters in Batmaloo area of Srinagar city. A large number of people mostly women had gathered in Batmaloo raising slogans against braid chopping incidents.
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Reports said that the shelling led to a chaos among the protesters. A number of women in a bid to escape the shelling fell on roads and suffered minor injuries.
Protests erupted in Batmaloo following Sunday night incident of braid chopping in the area.
As the news about the incident spread in the area, locals hit the streets to protest the inaction of police to nab the culprits.
Witnesses said that agitating youth pelted stones on the government forces who responded with tear-smoke shelling.
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Police rescued four outsiders who were mistaken as braid choppers in Nowgam area of Srinagar, a police spokesman said Monday evening.
He said in the afternoon, some miscreants floated a rumour that 4 rag pickers from outside J&K, who were roaming nearby, were braid choppers at village Gandbal Soiteng in the jurisdiction of Police Station Nowgam.
Soon, the rag pickers were surrounded by a mob of around 2000 persons who started abusing and heckling them.
Upon receipt of this information, a police party from Police Station Nowgam rushed to the spot. As soon as police party reached the spot, mob started pelting stones upon them.
The police party exercised maximum restrain, eyewitnesses said.
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The four outsiders were rescued and their medical examination was also conducted. Enquiry till now has established that the rag pickers were indeed what they were claiming to be, and no angle of braid chopping has been established.
Earlier on Sunday Police said a group of foreign tourists including three from Australia and one each from Britain, Ireland and South Korea were held up by some youth who mistook them as braid choppers.
Police has also taken cognizance of rumours being spread through social media, Facebook and WhatsApp, about capture of so-called braid choppers from Nishat, Srinagar.
An FIR was lodged against the miscreants and investigation has been started to identify the persons involved in fabricating the news. The truth about the photograph circulated is that;
On the evening of 6th of October 2017 two local residents captured two persons at Nishat accusing them of being braid choppers. They were beaten and thrashed severely by the residents. However, as the police got to know about the incident, a police team promptly rushed to the spot and took custody of the captured persons. They were however let off after proper investigation and treatment as they had received injuries during thrashing by the people.
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One of them Sameer Ahmad Khan son of Noor Mohammad Khan resident of Ahmad Nagar runs a boutique at Gojwara Srinagar under the banner of Silayee Ghar. He, along with his friend Tahir Ahmad Beigh son of Ghulam Qadir Beigh resident of Gujwara had gone to collect some material from one of his customers, a girl (name with held) resident of Ishbar Nishat. The girl is also sister in law of Sameers brother.
As the duo reached near girls house, some two or three persons raised alarm doubting them as braid choppers. Meanwhile several other residents gathered and started beating them mercilessly. They could have been lynched if police did not act on time and rescued them, police claimed.
However, since Monday morning, some Facebook and WhatsApp user groups have started to spread rumours about them that they had admitted their guilt as being braid choppers.
Police has taken cognizance of these rumours, and a case FIR number 54 has been registered in Police Station Nishat. The investigation of the case is going on and efforts are on to identify the persons involved in fabricating the news. Police has requested general public not to pay heed to rumour mongers.
5 Year Old Hit By Stone
Police said a five-year-old boy was critically injured after miscreants pelted stones on vehicles near Pahoo bridge in Pulwama in south Kashmir on Monday.
As has been reported that today in the morning some miscreants blocked Pulwama-Srinagar road at Pahoo bridge.
He said the miscreants pelted stones on the private as well as commercial vehicles plying on the road.
A minor boy Sibti Hyder, son of Reyaz Ahmad Malik, resident of Gongoo Pulwama, was seriously injured after he was hit in head by a stone, pelted by miscreants, said the spokesman.
The injured was shifted to District Hospital Pulwama for treatment where from he was referred to SMHS Hospital Srinagar in critical condition for further treatment.
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