Women in Mewat, Ggn complain of chopping of braids

At least 15 incidents of women’s braids being mysteriously chopped off have been reported from the villages of the Mewat region in last two weeks, police said.

Most women claimed to have fallen unconscious when their braids were chopped off leading to the villagers blaming godmen, ghosts, witches and “cat-like” creatures. Police, however, dismissed these claims and said it was the handiwork of anti-social elements.

One such incident was reported in Gurgaon on Saturday. Sunita Devi of Ashok Vihar Phase-III approached the police, claiming that on the night of July 28 she was attacked by a strangelooking man, in his 60s, when she was alone in her house.

“While I was preparing dinner in the kitchen, I saw a thin man in a red and yellow outfit on the main entrance of my house. When I went to enquire, I saw he was carrying a trident. I told him to go away. He went away and disappeared only to reappear,” she claimed. Sunita said before she could comprehend anything she fell unconscious.

“When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off,” she claimed, adding her house was not ransacked. Police said they have made a daily diary report and started a probe. Gurgaon PRO Ravinder Kumar said the perpetrator was yet to be identified and the woman has not complained of any wounds.

The woman was in trauma. She was admitted to a private hospital and discharged last evening, he said. Another incident was reported in Malhaka village. Aseena had fallen unconscious and when she woke up she found her hair had been chopped off. A police complaint has been lodged in the matter.

To deal with the rising apprehension caused by these incidents, women have been asked to tie their hair in buns instead of braids. Living under a shadow of fear, women are venturing outside to get water and fodder only in large groups and patrol parties have also been formed to nab those responsible.

Ferozpur Jhirka DSP Yadram said police has received complaints of 2,3 incidents at Santhwari and Satras villages. Incidents have also been reported from Malhaka village, Punahana, Dallawas, Jharpuri, Hamka, Padhen, Shikarpur, Mohammad Pur Aheer. “Villagers are saying that women’s braids are being chopped off. They say a cat-like animal appears and makes them unconscious. It then chops off their braids and disappears. Villagers claim that ghosts are behind it,” Yadram said. No FIR has been registered in the cases so far, Yadram said.

Mewat SP Nazneen Bhasin said, “A gang is behind this. We have earlier detained two persons in Nagana at Barmer district but they were not involved.”

She said some cases may have been rumours. Manisha of Punahana said her braid was cut off two days ago when she went to the jungle to get grass for cattle.

Mewat deputy commissioner Mani Ram Sharma said, “There is nothing like ghosts. Some gang or group is trying to create panic in the region.” HTC