Budgam, Oct 3, 2017, Kashmir Pen : The unabated braid chopping incidents across Kashmir Valley sparked spontaneous shutdown while hundreds of people took to roads and organized a massive rally in Magam area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
The rally started from Malbachan village where a braid chopping incident was reported on Monday. Unidentified persons masquerading as beggars had entered into the house of one Munir Hussain when only her wife was present there.
The miscreants had not only chopped the braid of woman but also stolen her golden chain.
Eyewitnesses told news agency CNS that the rally that started from Malbachan village culminated at Magam town where shopkeepers downed their shutters while vehicular movement came to a grinding halt for quite some time.
The protesters were demanding stern action against people involved in these mysterious braid chopping incidents.
Meanwhile, authorities snapped the mobile Internet services in south Kashmir in the wake of increasing braid-chopping incidents.
The Internet service was shut around midnight, locals said.
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.
Earlier, police 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.
