SRINAGAR: The mysterious braid-cutting incidents that emerged from central India a few months back have taken J&K plains by storm. Almost on daily basis, there are reports of the women, young and old, detecting their chutki cut in situation in which they even do not have inking or a feeling of it.

An apparently terrified victim of braid cutting in the hospital.

Media report in the last few weeks have taken an alarming proportion now. Incidents of braid cutting were reported from Jammu, Udhampur, Sama, Kathua and more recently in Rajouri now.

The anecdotes are interesting. Though in most of the cases, the victims are sleeping and wake up to see their hair sliced apart, there are instances in which they are working and still feel their braids cut. Some of the women were working in their kitchens when they were felt they had part of their braid on ground, sliced so cleanly. Some were so frightened by the braid cuttings that they were rushed to the hospitals.

In Old Rehari, a victim, Radha rani said she was preparing dinner when “I got a sudden jerk and I shrieked in panic”. The next moment, she said, “a portion of my hair had fallen on the ground.”

Facebook and other social networking website are carrying loads of details on the mysterious phenomenon.  Sakshi Mankotia is a seventh standard student in Khatar Manwal. She woke up during night without her braid and told her parents.

Kushi, a resident of Rakha Amb Taali, in Samba is only 10 years old. She had her braid chopped off.

Sapna Devi is 24 years old and lives in a RS Pora village. She was watching TV and felt as if somebody pulled her hair, Next movement her braid was cut. She cried and fainted. Her mother rushed to see her and she also fainted. Toshi Devi, 45 is a homemaker from Mehmoodpur village in Bishnah. She had her braid mysteriously chopped off when she was cleaning the utensils after dinner.

“So far, 30 cases of braid-cutting had been reported with the police,” a newspaper from Jammu, quoted R C Kotwal, an SP ran officer saying. “The SHOs concerned and officials of these areas conducted preliminary investigations. We are working on different angles to ascertain the basic cause of such incidents. Soon, we will crack the mystery.”

The latest destination of the mysterious braid cutting is Rajouri. Two incidents have already taken place in the district so far.

(Photographs used in this report are copied from social networking websites and Kashmir Life is not sure of their authenticity).

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