Braid cutting incidents being reported across the valley is visibly a matter of joke on social media rather than being a matter of discussion, a discussion that matters and everyone is giving their version and understanding of the incidents. The problem which seems funnier may make Kashmir a crime hot spot. What motivates the perpetrators to commit this strange act is yet to be known and if not cracked down, it will definitely gain ground and will give rise to other crimes on the same lines.
Kashmir as a society is known to be risk-free for women in terms of safety and crime but with the braid cutting incidents spreading fast in Kashmir, it has raised concerns among people about the safety of women. While there are no visible solutions to the problem, we have only come up with advices for our women folk that is to say, they should cover their hair and tie it in buns instead of braids. Till now there have been only speculations about the perpetrators and their motives while as the facts regarding this growing menace still remains a mystery. The incidents of braid cutting were first reported in the villages of Haryana during the month of july this year which till august spread to the parts of jammu and are now being witnessed in Kashmir valley. As the braid cutting has its origin in the outside state, the fact has raised speculations about the involvementof non-locals in this imported menace.
The menace of braid cutting is being viewed through the prism of Kashmir conflict and also religion has been brought into play to form a basis of these incidents. Everyone has a theory about how acts like this can be used as a tactics of instilling fear among the people in Kashmir. Some have to say that braid cutting act is inspired by the erstwhile ghost scare which the Kashmiri people witnessed in the 90’s. Some believe that it is the ghosts who are involved in the braid cutting incidents, whose motto is to punish the women who don’t cover their hair. Even if we are not aware about the mottos of the mysterious ‘braid choppers’, we should at least understand that it is not the right time to prove each other wrong, but rather we should expose those who are perpetrating this menace which is gaining ground in the valley.
Given the circumstances in Kashmir, who so ever are involved in this menace their goal is to sow discord and civil unrest in Kashmir.
During the 2016 unrest when people could resist the strong-arm arrest raids of the government forces, why can’t we now come together and get hold of these menacers. If we are not going to act now then this menace will become a dangerous trend in our society, it will give rise to discombobulation among the people and the situation like this can be easily capitalized by the anti-social elements. As evident from our past tradegies; be it 2005 earthquake or 2014 flood, how anti-social elements derived opportunities from the tregedies of people by resorting to looting and stealing.
We as a society should accept the fact that Kashmiris are accustomed to relying on the rumours rather than seeking the truth and the social media has made this custom to flourish in us. The only truth about the braid cutting is that such incidents have occurred while as the rest of the information being spread out about these incidents is being passed around by word of mouth. One thing about the menace stands clear that is it is taking us away from the serious issues that our nation is facing and such incidents will just induce amnesia among people.
The underlying effect of this problem is egression of mistrust and suspicion among people and if the same is left unchecked, the situation will slid inevitably towards intra group conflict. Given the circumstances in Kashmir, who so ever are involved in this menace their goal is to sow discord and civil unrest in Kashmir.
——-(The author is a student of International Relations –Peace & Conflict Studies at Islamic University of Sciences & Technology-IUST Awantipora . The author’s views are personal)
