Srinagar: The braid-chopping ordeal is showing no signs of abating even as police has launched massive crackdown against the alleged rumour-mongers. On Sunday, a braid-chopping incident at Bohri-Kadal in Old City triggered clashes between youth and government forces.
Brother of the alleged victim told media persons that the braid choppers barged inside their house late last evening.
“The braid choppers came and cut off her braid while she was going to washroom,” he said. The incident triggered of clashes as scores of youth took to streets on Sunday and resorted to stone pelting on police and paramilitary CRPF. The forces used teargas shells to disperse the protesters and the ding-dong battle continued for several hours.
Meanwhile, reports said police arrested five persons from Harwan area of Srinagar City for allegedly beating a non-local labourer by mistaking him as a braid chopper.
“On 14 October a non-local labourer, working at a construction site in SKUAST Shalimar, was intercepted by a mob at around 1935 hours. Rumour was spread that he is a braid chopper and the mob started beating him. In the incident, the labourer sustained serious injuries,” a police official said.
“SHO Police Station Harwan acted swiftly and took the injured to hospital. He was later identified as Nahid Alam son of Ajmudin of Bihar”, the official said.
Investigation were set into motion and it was revealed that Alam was on way to market to buy some eatables when he was intercepted by few “miscreant” who without listening to him started beating him, the official said.
“During investigation 5 persons were identified and their involvement in the crime was established,” the official said, adding, ‘all of them have been arrested.”