With the state government stressing that the `Choti Katwa’ (cutting of braids) was nothing but rumour spread by mischief mongers, more incidents were reported from across the state in the last 24-hours. Residents in several regions have now formed groups and were spending sleepless nights to thwart any possible attack.
Interestingly in Agra, where lynching of a Dalit woman on the suspicion of herbeinga ‘witch’ out to chop off hairs of female folks reported last Wednesday, another woman said to be mentally unstable was nabbed by the public in Dhamena hamlet of Shamshabad and assaulted on Friday. She was however saved by some saner eelements. The woman was however detained for quizzing.
In Bulandshahr where reports of cutting of braids were reported on Thursday, two more cases were reported from Khurja and Kakod areas on Friday. The hair of an old woman was chopped off in Ferozepur area of Dholna in Kansganj district on Thursday night sending shock waves.
Similarly the braid of a sleeping woman in Badali hamlet of Bijnore district was chopped after which she fainted and haad to be hospitalised.
Similar reports poured in from Aryanagar locality of loni in Ghaziabad, Paki hamlet in Sumerpur of Hamirpur, Udaybhan area of Hathras, Nawabganj of Bareilly, Kumhawar hamlet in Etawah, Boro hamlet of Etah, Chitrakut hamlet of Farrukhabad and Kanshiram colony in Auraiya etc. The local police rushed to the spot but did not register any case so far dismissing these incidents as nothing but public panic.
Earlier on Thursday, ADG (law and order) Anand Kumar issued a seven-point advisory urging people not take law in their hands and prevent Agra like incidents.
Asking the district police chiefs to set up village committees and security teams to counter the rumour, the advisory asked district police to take stern action against offenders.
The SSP/SPs were also asked to take help of social media like Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp to make people aware about rumours. Besides holding meetings up to police outpost level was also advised to impart correct information through youths and digital volunteers.