Braid Chopping: Army jawan beaten by mob

SRINAGAR: With no let up in the rising case of alleged braid-chopping in valley and the consequent protests, the locals on Tuesday trashed an Army jawan in Kupwara town on the suspicion of being a braid chopper, while protestors set an Army vehicle on fire in Ganderbal district.
In a first incident of its kind, the locals in Redi Chowkibal area of Kupwara district in northern part of Kashmir trashed an Army jawan after braid of a woman was cut Tuesday morning.
Locals alleged that a 'territorial army' personnel barged into the house of Ghulam Nabi Pir and sprayed some substance on the woman that left her unconscious. Later he chopped off the hair of the woman who was identified as Saima, daughter of Ghulam Nabi Pir.
The locals, however, caught a person just then outside the house of victim and started beating him.
The person upon identification said that he is a "territorial army" man.
Meanwhile, the Army Man was rescued by the joint team of army and police and has been sent to Hospital for treatment.
The jawan, who could not be identified, was beaten by people on the allegation of being a braid chopper, the officials said.
A video of the incident has also gone viral on the social networking sites showing locals thrashing the TA soldier while army and police are trying to rescue him.
The incident had come in the background of as many as six cases of braid-chopping being reported in past 24 hours from different parts of the valley.
In the most recent case, a braid chopping attempt was made on a lady whose some part of braid was chopped a few days ago in Botshah Mohalla area of Lalbazar in Srinagar city on Tuesday afternoon.
The locals then took to the streets and blocked the traffic movement on Hazratbal-Lalbazar-Lalchowk route against the alleged attempt of braid chopping.
The lady has been identified as Subayya. Reports said a few days ago a part of her braid was cut after she was cleaning the Veranda of her house.
Meanwhile, stone pelting clashes have spread in Kralpora as well. Reports said that after the news about the incident spread in the village, youth pelted stones on forces who retaliated by firing tear smoke canisters. Many youth have suffered injuries in the clashes.
In another incident, protestors thrashed three army soldiers and set their vehicle on fire after checking their identity cards at Akhal Kangan area of Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
As per eyewitnesses three Territorial Army (TA) personnel travelling in a private Santro car (JK01R-6187) were moving in a suspicious manner when a group of people stopped them and sought Identity cards from them.
Protests also broke out in several parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar, against the unabated braid chopping.