Kashmir: Mob thrashes two men mistaking them for braid choppers

Two men in Kashmir valley, one from Sopore and another from near Hazratbal Dargah were brutally thrashed by a mob on October 20. The mob mistook the individuals for braid chopper(s).

The victim from Sopore, Baramulla district identified as Wasim Ahmad Tantray is reportedly mentally-challenged. Many mob thrashing incidents over alleged braid chopping have been reported from the past few days.

The police received information that an alleged braid chopper had been caught by the mob near a fruit market in Sopore, a cop said.

Wasim was brutally thrashed and stripped and the angry mob was about to set him ablaze when the police came to his rescue.

A senior police officer said: "A few men had burnt some grass and were trying to set him ablaze. They also tried to run a tractor over him."

Shesh Paul Vaid, Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, in a statement to ANI said: "A mentally challenged mistaken as braid chopper was ruthlessly beaten in Sopore. He has been rescued by the police. An FIR has been registered and culprits identified."

In yet another incident on Friday afternoon, a man who was on his way to offer prayers in Srinagar's Hazratbal Dargah was beaten up by a few men assuming him to be a braid chopper.

No arrests have been made by the police in the braid chopping incidents. The valley has witnessed over 130 incidents of braid chopping in past month leading to immense anger among the locals.

Earlier the psychologists had termed the reports of braid chopping by locals to be mass hysteria and even the police and security forces agreed to it. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Syed agreed to the reports of psychologists and said, "the government will take steps to find the motives behind the braid chopping attacks".

Meanwhile, the police have announced a reward of Rs 6 lakh for any information regarding the alleged braid-chopper(s).