- Woman’s braid cut in Budgam
- No Friday prayers allowed in Jamia Masjid for 4th week
- Mob tried to immolate deranged in Sopore, drown another youth in Hazratbal: Police
With police failing to crack braid chopping cases, the vigilantism by youth have increased in the Valley and these are taking an ugly turn. On Friday, a mob tried to set on fire a mentally unfit youth in Sopore and attempted to drown another in Hazratbal area in Srinagar after mistaking them as braid choppers. Both were rescued by police.
“Strip him, set him on fire and kill him”, a furious mob chanted while beating a shirt-striped-youth in Sopore town of north Kashmir Baramulla district after suspecting him a braid chopper on Friday.
In the 4:45-minute video, which has gone viral on social media, a mob can be seen beating an alleged braid chopper in Mazbugh area of Sopore town.
Local sources said the youth was caught and labelled as alleged braid chopper when he was moving suspiciously in Mazbug (Fruit Mandi) area at around 3 am.
A man in the video can be heard calling on the mob to set the youth on fire while some burnt the hay.
A police team reached the spot and rescued the youth.
Police said the youth was mentally deranged and identified him as Wasim Ahmad Tantray son of GhulamNabi of Shakwara, Baramulla presently residing at Puthkhah Nowpora in Sopore.
“When police rescued the youth, mob was beating him ruthlessly. They had also burnt hay and were trying to set the person ablaze. Some miscreants were trying to run a tractor over him,” a police spokesperson said.
As police reached the spot to rescue the youth, mob pelted stones on them. In retaliation, the cops lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse the mob and rescued the victim.
Superintendent of Police Sopore, Harmeet Singh said the youth was caught by a mob of 500-800 on suspicion of being a braid chopper and beaten ruthlessly.
“The boy was rescued by timely action of police. He is mentally unsound and was wandering around the area in a mentally unfit state,” he said.
Singh said police have taken up investigation.
“We have registered a case and hope the victim survives. The culprits will be arrested,” he said.
When told that locals alleged that Tantray was drunk and wandering in night, Singh said he was not drunk and one can’t stop a mentally unsound person from wandering in the night.
He appealed people not to take law into their hands.
The injured youth was shifted to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Sopore.
Block Medical Officer (BMO) Sopore, Dr Sami told Kashmir Post that the victim had received severe thrashing by the mob.
“He was severely thrashed, which caused multiple soft tissue injuries,” he said.
The BMO refrained from commenting on mental state of the victim saying, “I can’t ascertain patient’s mental status as the doctors’ first priority was to save his life.”
The doctors later referred Tantray to SMHS Srinagar for specialised treatment.
Medical Superintendent SMHS Hospital, Dr Saleem Tak said the patient’s condition was stable.
“We can’t say anything about his mental status at this stage. We have written to psychiatrist to assess the patient. After that we will be able to comment on his mental status,” Tak told Kashmir Post.
In another incident, a youth, who had gone to offer Fajr prayers at Hazratbal shrine was mistaken as a braid chopper in Dal lake.
SSP Srinagar, Imtiyaz Ismail, told Kashmir Post that police has registered a case under 307-attempt to murder.
“The person had come to offer prayers at Hazratbal mosque but was caught by people when he had gone towards Dal lake. The mob tried to drown him on suspicion of braid chopping. The person had no intention nor was involved in any braid cutting,” he said.
The police officer said the persons involved in the case have been identified and would be arrested.
“A youth from Shopian who had come to University of Kashmir to meet his brother was beaten mercilessly on suspicion of braid chopper.He had come to meet his brother who is studying in University of Kashmir and also had to offer Friday prayers at Hazratbal shrine,” a police spokesman said.
He said he was caught by a group of people, who took him as braid chopper near Hazratbal shrine and beat him to pulp.
“The mob tried to kill him by sinking him into the waters but timely action of police rescued him,” the spokesman said and urged people not to pay heed to rumours spread by rumour mongers.
The locals of Hazratbal area had staged a protest demonstration over the overnight braid chopping incident in the locality.
Later, people dispersed off peacefully after persuasion by police.
SSP Srinagar said police have registered cases in all such incidents and identification of people involved in spreading rumours and beating people on suspicion of being braid choppers was under process.
“About 50 people have been arrested for spreading rumours on social media, unauthorisedly checking vehicles and creating commotion,” he said adding more people would be arrested.
On October 8, six tourists—three Australians, one South Korean, one each from Ireland and England (4 males and two females), were stopped by a group of locals in Rainawari area when they were travelling from Leh to Srinagar in a Tavera vehicle.
The tourists had lost their way and were travelling by the help of Google Map, which led them to travel across a link road showing a shortcut to LalChowk.
Police had later rescued the tourist from the mob.
Meanwhile, braid of a 12th class student was chopped off by unknown persons in Beerwah area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district today.
“The braid of the girl, a 12th class student, was cut by unknown persons inside her home at Ganie Mohalla, Beerwah,” the locals said.
They said the girl was found unconscious with her braid chopped off.
It was the third braid cutting incident in Beerwah in last few days.
About 150 braid chopping incidents have been reported in Valley in over a month. The braid chopping incidents have caused fear among the people, especially among the women folk.
With police unable to crack the cases, people have formed the vigilante groups to maintain vigil during the nights to prevent braid chopping incidents.
The vigilante groups have having increased night vigil in most of the susceptible areas.
Special investigation teams have been set up to nab those involved in braid chopping.
The police have announced a reward of Rs 6 lakh for information leading to arrest of braid choppers. However, police is yet to achieve a breakthrough and make any arrests.
Restrictions in Downtown to continue
According to the District Magistrate Srinagar, restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC will remain in force under the jurisdiction of Police Stations Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, M R Gunj, Safakadal and partially in Kral khud and Maisuma, in district Srinagar on October 21 (Saturday) “as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident.”
All Kashmir University examinations scheduled to be held on October 21 have been postponed. Fresh dates for the deferred examinations shall be notified later.
