Braid chopping incident triggers Shutdown, Clashes in Sopore, Restrictions imposed in Srinagar

Clashes erupted in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday after the braid of a 40-year-old woman was chopped off by unknown persons in Khushal Matoo village.
Reports said that the woman (name withheld) was in the kitchen of her home when unknown person sprayed something on her, knocking her unconscious, and chopped her braid.
She was later taken to SDH Sopore in an unconscious state.
Soon after the incident, hundreds of people assembled at main chowk area of the town and staged a protest demonstration against the incident.
However, police lobbed scores of tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters, which triggered clashes in the area.
Meanwhile a complete shutdown is being observed in Sopore town as a mark of protest against the incident.
At least 100 incidents of braid chopping have been reported from different parts of the valley in the last one month, a police officer said.
Vigilante mobs in towns and villages have caught and severely beaten up many innocent people suspecting them to be the alleged braid choppers.
So far, the police has failed to arrest any person actually involved in these incidents.

Also, restrictions were imposed in various parts of Srinagar on Friday to prevent separatist-called protests against increasing incidents of braid chopping in Jammu and Kashmir.
Police said these prohibitory orders were in place in Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, M.R.Gunj, Safa Kadal, Maisuma and Kral Khud.
Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir Basheer Khan has ordered closure of all schools and colleges in the valley on Friday.
Classes would also remain suspended for the second consecutive day in the Kashmir University.
The separatists have called for these protests after the Friday prayers.
At least 100 incidents of braid chopping have been reported from different parts of the valley in the last one month, a police officer said.
Vigilante mobs in towns and villages have caught and severely beaten up many innocent people suspecting them to be the alleged braid choppers.
So far, the police has failed to arrest any person actually involved in these incidents.