Braid chopping: Police announce Rs 3 lac reward, set up helplines in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 29: Under heavy pressure from different quarters besides daily protests for failing to nab the culprits behind the incidents of braid chopping, Jammu and Kashmir police today announced reward for providing any information leading to nabbing the accused.
  About a dozen braid chopping incidents were reported for the past about one month in the Kashmir valley, particularly in south Kashmir district of Kulgam, where people today disrupted traffic for about three hours on Srinagar-Jammu national highway against failure of the police to nab the culprits.
      Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti taking a serious note of these incidents has directed Director General of Police (DGP) to constitute a committee so that these incidents are stopped immediately.
      However, despite directions, the incidents of braid chopping are taking place almost everyday and this morning a hair cutting incident was reported at Kralpora in the city outskirts, evoking protests by locals.
      The separatists and a number of mainstream party leaders have questioned the police action and demanded immediate action against all those who are involved in these incidents. 
      A police spokesman said here this afternoon that established helplines have been established so that people could inform and seek assistance with regard to any braid cutting incident.
      He said to speed up the investigation process, Special Investigation Teams (SITs) have also been constituted in every district headquarters of the valley.
        Besides, Police Community Group (PCG) meetings were also held  wherein PCG members were advised to help and assist police in keeping  a close vigil regarding braid cutting incidents in their respective areas.
         General public is requested to call on the helpline numbers in case of any suspicious movement, he said. 
        The person who will give credible information and assist in nabbing any anti social element found in such incidents will be rewarded  Rs 3 lac by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir.  The particulars of that person will be kept secret.
       All the district Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) have also  been directed to utilize all the resources and men under their command and intensify the joint patrolling with the people of their respective jurisdictions to nab the culprits.  UNI