Srinagar/Oct,5: Police here on Thursday said that hysteria could have led to braid chopping in Khwaja Bagh area of Baramulla town in north Kashmir.
A teenage girl had alleged that some unknown person chopped off her braid while she was sleeping inside her rented accommodation in Khwaja Bagh.
A police spokesman said the girl claimed that braid chopper made entry through wall and escaped through closed door. “… which manifests conversion disorder (Hysteria).”
He said the girl was sleeping in the same room with her parents and there seemed to be no possibility of any outsider making entry into the room.
Her father, who works with Jammu and Kashmir Police, had left for duty in the morning, as per routine.
“During further investigation, it was found that the victim girl is suffering from psychiatric ailment with DISSOCIATIVE symptoms and has been undergoing medical treatment for that.
“She was examined by psychiatrist on 28th September with a follow up check up yesterday only in District Hospital Baramulla. Today also a psychiatrist called by police to examine her and the report is awaited.”
The spokesman said that police has also recovered a fresh shaving blade from the spot.
“Further investigating of the case is going on, taking into account all circumstances and facts,” he said while thanking people for their co-operation.
Police have so far been clueless about the dozens of hair cutting incidents that are being reported on daily basis from different parts of the Valley.
Police has also doubled the cash reward on information leading to arrest of braid choppers. “Any person with credible information on braid choppers will be awarded Rs 6 lakh,” said an official.
A helpline has also been established so that “people could inform and seek assistance with regard to any braid cutting incident.”
To speed up the investigation process, Special Investigation Teams (SITs) have also been constituted in every district headquarters of the valley.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said that her government is trying their best to nab those involved in braid-chopping.
