Srinagar: Normal life was disrupted in Kashmir Valley on Monday due to shutdown and restrictions against unabated inscrutable braid chopping incidents. Law enforcing authorities had imposed restrictions in parts of old Srinagar city to maintain law and order.
Reports said that shops and other business establishments remained closed in Srinagar and other districts of the Valley while public transport is off the roads.
Joint Resistance Leadership (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”.
Shutdown was also observed in other parts of Kashmir including Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla.
Authorities had deployed large number of security personnel in restive areas to prevent protests against braid chopping incidents.
Scores of braid chopping incidents have been reported across Kashmir Valley triggering panic among populace. 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 been clueless.
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 innocents mistaking them for braid choppers. Meanwhile, members of civil society Tral, held a protest against these incidents.
Members of Citizen Council Tral, led by its Chairman Farooq Trali and scores of activists joined the protest from Khankah-e-Faiz Panah Tral. The civil society members shouted slogans against the braid chopping incidents. They were demanding authorities to nab the culprits behind these heinous crimes.
Meanwhile, Police said a five-year-old was critically injured after “miscreants” pelted stones on vehicles near Pahoo bridge in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.
“As has been reported that today in the morning some miscreants blocked Pulwama-Srinagar road at Pahoo bridge following the shutdown call by Joint Resistance Leadership,” said a spokesman.
He said the “miscreants” pelted stones on the private as well as commercial vehicles plying on the road. “A minor boy Sifti Hyder, son of Reyaz Ahmad Malik, resident of Gangoo Pulwama, about 5-year old, travelling in a sumo vehicle, was seriously injured after he was hit by a stone, pelted by miscreants, on his head,” 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.
“Subsequently a police party rushed to the spot and chased away the miscreants. Pulwama police has registered a case FIR number 344/2017 under section 307, 148, 149, 336, 427 RPC in this regard and investigation has been taken up.”
Clashes and protests against braid chopping incidents were reported in different parts of Kashmir Valley. Reports said that police used tear-smoke shells to disperse protesters in Batamaloo area of Srinagar city. A large number of people mostly women had gathered in Batamaloo raising slogans against braid chopping incidents. Witnesses said that agitating youth pelted stones on the government forces who responded with tear-smoke shelling.
