Braid Chopping Mystery: SHRC Seeks Report from IGP 

Srinagar—The State Human Rights Commission on Wednesday directed Inspector General of Police to submit within two weeks an ‘updated’ list of braid chopping victims in Kashmir Valley. 

The notice to the Valley’s top police officer was issued by the commission on a petition filed by Peoples’ Forum through its General Secretary M. M. Shuja.

In his plea, Shuja has sought directions to the state to accelerate the investigation, identify the culprits, issue advisory and also prevent recurrence of such incidents by activating the “intelligence machinery” across the state.

“The state may further be directed to consolidate the list of victims and the commission may kindly grant compensation to the victims,” he said.

Shuja underlined that hair and its braids are considered to be the most valuable to their beauty and charm by women. “Once their braids and hair are cut in suspicious and mysterious circumstances, it gives a mental shock to such woman as well. Voluntary hair cutting by women and female children is not a cultural tradition in our society, of course with minor exceptions. On the contrary dressing of hair and making braids thereof is an inherent ingredient of our culture,” he said.

The “unfortunate incidents” started from various locations in Jammu division including Poonch, Rajouri and Chinab Valley about a month before and travelled to Kashmir division and engulfed multiple areas in Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian, Budgam, Ganderbal, Bandipora and Srinagar.

“That the incidents have developed a grave sense of insecurity among the women folk. The woman and even the girl children are feeling frustrated as their normal movement in and outside their house has come to standstill,” he said, adding, “they do not feel free to resume their normal activity at home, at job place, paddy fields and orchards which has rendered them as prisoners within the four walls of their rooms.” 

Referring to media reports, he said hundreds of cases of braid chopping have been registered and so far but police was clueless to trace out the culprit. “Though the State government has announced a reward of six lakh rupees for those who provide any clue but announcement of reward is not a substitute for the well considered investigation which ought to have been put in place by (it).”

Referring to reports doing rounds in social media, he said the culprits first spray some chemical on the victim with which she becomes unconscious facilitating the culprit to chop her braid.

“The state so far has neither issued any advisory to the women folk as to what preventive measures they should take when the threat of braid cutting is imminent. No step have been taken in place to identify the chemical which in the probable circumstances can be used by the culprit to commit such a crime,” he added.

Plea seeks directions to the state to accelerate the probe, identify the culprits, issue advisory and also prevent recurrence of such incidents by activating the intelligence machinery.

Fresh incidents spark protests in Srinagar

The fresh braid chopping incidents sparked protest in Nowgam, Khanyar and Bemina areas of Srinagar city on Wednesday.

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Reports said that people took to streets in Nowgam  after two non-local persons allegedly chopped off the braid of a 29-year-old woman (name withheld) Wednesday morning.

The protesters blocked the road, triggering a massive traffic jam in the area.

They were demanding the arrest of the alleged braid-choppers. Police rushed to spot to pacify the protesters.

Protests also erupted in Bemina and Khanyar areas of Srinagar against alleged braid-chopping incidents.

Reports said that protesters, mostly women, took to streets in both the areas to protest the unabated cases of braid-chopping.

They said that women held a demonstration in Khanyar after a woman’s braid was mysteriously cut in Kaw Mohalla area.

The protesters blocked the road to demand arrest of the culprits.

Eyewitnesses said that two persons were thrashed by people. Locals said that people took them as braid choppers and manhandled them, however, they were later set free.

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Bemina Mystery

Police on Wednesday said that two persons who were earlier caught at Bemina on accusation of being braid choppers were over ground workers (OGWs) for militants and people facilitated their escape.

A senior police officer told news agency GNS that the two persons who were nabbed by people at Nundresh Colony Bemina in the afternoon after accusing them of being braid choppers turned out to be OGWs. “People after coming to know that they are OGWs facilitated their escape even as police arrived at the spot. Some persons were claiming to have spotted arms and ammunition in their possession,” he said.

Pertinently, massive clashes erupted at Bemina after police arrived at the spot as people turned their ire at the cops while letting the alleged culprits escape. The identity of two persons who police said were OGWs has not been ascertained yet but police said that they have started searches.

A case FIR 158/2017 was later registered in Police Station  Batamaloo & further investigation taken up.

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