Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir today arrested two alleged braid choppers in south Kashmir district of Pulwama, where house of one of the two accused was set ablaze by a mob.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pulwama has assured thorough inquiry into the incident. He said he has already directed Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) to investigate the braid chopping incidents, along with local committed in their respective areas.
Official sources told UNI that following a complaint by family of a victim of braid chopping that they have identified two youth involved in the crime, police today arrested both the accused for questioning.
Giving details, they said braid of a woman was chopped few days back by unidentified persons at village Monghama in Pulwama.
They said the victim was again attacked just two days after the first incident and her hair was again chopped.
They said the family of the victim alleged that they have identified two youth, Gulzar Mochi and Muhamamd Shafi Sheikh, resident of the same neighborhood, responsible for the attack.
After filing an FIR, both the accused were taken into custody for questioning, they said, adding the accused work in Children’s Hospital Srinagar as cleaning staff.
They said both the accused have denied of playing any role in the crime. “Police have sent a team to the hospital to check the CCTV footage and ascertain if the duo was present in the institute at the time of the incident or not,” they added.
But, as the news of the involvement of the two youth spread in the area, an unruly mob attacked and set ablaze the house of one of the accused.
Sources said police have registered a case against unknown persons for setting on fire a house and initiated investigation to identify and nab the culprits.
With no letup in braid chopping incidents, fear has gripped the valley, where many people, including two women, were thrashed by mobs at various places in the last over a week. A 70-year-old man lost his life to this hysteria after he was hit by a brick outside his house as people mistook him as a braid chopper in the valley, where local society committees have started night watch initiatives to track suspicious movement in their respective areas.
Beggars and rag-pickers have also disappeared in the Valley fearing wrath of the locals, who otherwise welcoming, see every new face with suspicion.
So far about 57 braid chopping incidents have taken place in Kashmir valley, where such cases have created panic among people. Many women living in various parts of the Valley have stopped going to morning and evening walks due to the scare of braid chopping.
