Won’t Hide Facts, Govt On It: Zulfikar

Srinagar—Information Minister, Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali on Tuesday said that facts behind braid cutting incidents, when available, won’t be kept hidden from the public.

“The government is seriously following the case and the facts behind the braid chopping incidents won’t be kept hidden. We will make the facts behind these incidents public,” he said in an interview.

Ali said that the government has taken every possible step to nab the braid choppers. “I assure you that the braid choppers will be brought to the book very soon,” he said, adding that the SIT has already been formed in this regard while the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had also held a meeting in this regard.

Saying that nobody knows who is behind these incidents, PDP Minister further said that “the investigation is going on and we can’t even say whether these incidents are any disease or anything else. We won’t speak over the issue until we get any authentic proof.”

He also urged the people to don’t pay heed over the rumor mongers. “The civilians are being beaten. The innocent strangers are being presumed as braid choppers and are being beaten ruthlessly,” he said.

Minister further informed that over 3000 braid chopping incidents were reported in UP while over 2000 were reported in Punjab.

However, he said that as on Monday, only 40 cases of braid chopping incidents were reported in Kashmir, which include Pir Panchal and Jammu.

Pertinently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had termed such incidents as disorder, saying that nobody would be behind these incidents.

PS Home Convenes Meeting

A high level meeting was held on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing situation in the valley.

Scores of braid chopping incidents have been reported from different parts of the valley in the last one month, creating fear among the female population, who are scared to step out of their houses.

While a high level meeting was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Principle Secretary Home R K Goyal at the Civil Secretariat to discuss how to stop the braid chopping incidents.

“Yes we discussed in the meeting how to stop these incidents,” Goyal said.

Director General of Police S P Vaid, who too participated in the meeting, said that victims were not coming forward to help the police in investigations.

“Police did not find chopped hair anywhere so far. When people are not cooperating then how can police precede the investigations,” Vaid said. “Police is for service of people, but they should cooperate with us.”

He said 101 such incidents have been reported in the valley. “58 have been reported from south Kashmir, six from north Kashmir and 36 incidents have been reported from central Kashmir. But police received complaints in only five cases,” the DGP said.

At some places, locals have caught “innocent people” suspecting them of being the culprits. “During investigation it was found that people who were beaten suspected to be braid choppers were innocent. Five cases of rumour mongering have been registered,” he said.

He said no one will be allowed to take law in their hands. “Innocents are being beaten which in not tolerable. The females should not get scared. Police is for their protection.”

Meanwhile, the DGP said that government has set up special investigating teams at the district level.

“Each team will be headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner, DSP, lady doctor and a social welfare officer,” he said. (KNS)

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