Srinagar: As the mysterious braid chopping incidents continue to rise, four new incidents were reported in the last 24 hours across the Valley.

According to the reports, protests erupted in Hazratbal area of Srinagar after braid of a woman was cut off by unidentified persons last night. Reports said that the residents took to the streets and staged massive protests against the increasing braid-cutting incidents.

All shops and other commercial establishments remained closed in the area.

Later, in the wee hours of Thursday the vigilante mob thrashed a Special Police Officer (SPO) after being accused of braid chopping. Sources said that a youth identified as Raiees Ahmad was roaming ‘suspiciously’ in the area when a group of youth alleged that he was a braid chopper.

Reports said that the mob thrashed the SPO before a police party from Nigeen police station rescued him. Police officials said that Raiees had come to meet his brother who is a student in Kashmir University.

“Raiees had come to meet him on Wednesday and stayed with him for the night,” the police official said.

Police said that Raiees left the rented accommodation of his brother at Habak to stroll in Hazratbal. However, he was mistaken as a “braid chopper” and beaten to pulp.

“It was only after the police reached the spot that Raiees could be rescued from the mob.” He was later sent to a hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, in central Kashmir’s Budgam district two more incidents of braid chopping were reported on Thursday morning.

According to the reports, braids of two women were cut in Chadoora and Beerwah towns of the district.

In the first incident, an aged woman was attacked at her home in Gopalpora Alamdar Colony and her hair was cut.

“Around 10 am some unknown persons attacked her in her house and chopped off her braid,” Eyewitness said.

Meanwhile, people took to streets to protest the mysterious braid chopping incidents in Wathoora. They blocked Chadoora – Srinagar road, hampering the vehicular movement.

In the second incident, a 22-year-old girl was attacked second time in her house in Beerwah town and her braid was cut, local witnesses said.

Witnesses said that the unidentified persons strangulated her before chopping her hair. Reports said that she was shifted to the local hospital in the town from where she was referred to a hospital in Srinagar for further treatment.

Meanwhile, residents of Lari-Preng in Kangan area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district staged a protest on Srinagar-Leh highway to protest against a,’ braid-chopping’ incident that took place last night.

Chanting slogans, the protesters, including men and women, blocked Srinagar-Leh highway at Preng, disrupting the traffic movement on the highway.

Later, a police party reached at the spot and pacified the protesters.

Meanwhile, a doctor at Sub district hospital Kangan said that the victim has been referred to SMHS hospital Srinagar from sub District hospital Kangan as she complained of uncontrolled vomiting.

Pertinent to mention here that braid of a middle aged woman was chopped off by unknown persons last night at Lari area of Kangan when she was alone in first floor of her house.

A police party visited the area and the victim was rushed immediately rushed to sub-district hospital Kangan were doctors after examining her found major part of her braid chopped off.

Guest