Women's braids cut off at various places in UP: Police

A sense of panic is gripping the people as cases of women's braids getting cut off under "mysterious circumstances" are being reported from various places in western Uttar Pradesh, the police said today.
The family members of Pinki (15) at Amara village in Firozabad have claimed that on hearing her cries last night, they rushed to her and found that her braid had been cut off, circle officer of Shikohabad Sanjay Verma said.
In Jasrana area of the state district, the mother of Shivani (16) has claimed that last night when she had gone to meet someone after hearing a knock on the door, she heard her daughter's cry. On rushing back into the house she found that her daughter's braid has been cut off, the CO said.

Verma said he has visited Amari village and found that the complaint was true but nothing can be said as to how the girl's braid had been cut.
An inquiry into this matter has been handed over to the chowki in-charge of Madhavganj police and people have been advised not to pay heed to rumours, he said.
In the Dayalbagh area of Agra, the wife of a temple priest claimed that her plait was cut off early in the morning today. However, her family members refused to lodge a written complaint with the police.
In Hapur's Bajhera Khurd village, a married woman's plait was cut off while she was asleep, police station in-charge Pankal Lawania said, adding the matter is being probed.

Similar cases have been reported in neighbouring states in the past couple of days.