After Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Punjab, the mysterious braid-cutting incidents are nowcausing panic in Jammu with more than 40 cases reported from the region in the last two weeks.
According to reports, in most cases the victims were asleep or preparing to go to school or working in the kitchen or even watching TV.
Investigators are struggling to unravel the mystery behind braid-chopping in the north Indian states even as many suspect it to be a case of ‘mass hysteria.’
According to a report by The Hindustan Times, villagers near Agra had killed a woman suspecting her to be the ghost who lopped off braids. In Mewat, they killed a cat because someone had visions of it turning into a witch. In another case, two young boys confessed to chopping the braid of a 14-year-old girl. The boys were the brother and nephew of the victim.
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In Jammu, The Indian Express reported that the latest case was reported from the border Rajouri district where three back to back incidents happened. They involved two teenagers and a woman.
The victims were taken to hospital after they fell unconscious. The police have taken suo motu cognizance of these cases as no one has come forward to register a case. Police have also sent victims’ hair samples to forensic science laboratory (FSL) for tests, the report said.
