HC raps cops, asks them to set up special teams
After conducting a crime mapping and profiling of the areas where most “braid-chopping” incidents were reported, the J&K Police have told the High Court that most cases have occurred in the pockets considered “grey” as far as the law and order situation was considered.
The police further claimed that for the last three or four days there had been a 90 per cent decrease in the incidents across the Kashmir valley.
With 153 alleged braid-chopping incidents having been recorded from different parts of Kashmir till date, the police, in its report to the High Court, said the crime mapping and profiling had also revealed that 70 per cent victims were unmarried, 40 per cent were below 18 years of age and 30 per cent were illiterate.
The police further revealed that 18 victims had been diagnosed with depression.
The High Court, which is dealing with a public interest litigation on the issue, had earlier directed the police to carry out a crime mapping and profiling of all such incidents to arrive at a definite conclusion.
“After the mapping and profiling, it has come to the fore that all these are grey areas as far as law and order situation is concerned,” the police said, adding that as per reports received from the field, as many as 153 braid-chopping incidents had been reported in various districts of the Kashmir zone. In these cases, 152 FIRs have been registered with police stations concerned.
However, the High Court was not satisfied with the investigation by the police, which claimed lack of cooperation on the part of the victims. The court today observed that the investigators, as it appeared from the status report, had not been using their brains. Otherwise, they would have arrested persons behind the mysterious incidents, it said.
The High Court observed that the police could always summon persons for collecting evidence and recording their statements.
In fresh directions today, the High Court suggested to the police to constitute and depute “specialised crime teams” to the spot so that the exact modus operandi of the perpetrators behind braid-chopping could be worked out. This may also help in apprehending the perpetrators behind such incidents, it said.
