‘Mentally-challenged’ youth mistaken for braid chopper thrashed in Sopore

Srinagar, Oct 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday claimed to have rescued a mentally-challenged youth, who was thrashed by a mob after being mistaken for a braid chopper at Sopore in north Kashmir district of Baramulla. Police have registered an FIR and identified the miscreants behind the incident. Meanwhile, Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid said he has instructed the concerned officers to take strong action against the culprits behind the thrashing of the youth. A police spokesperson said here that police got information that a mob had caught hold of an alleged braid chopper in fruit Mandi area in Sopore. He said immediately a police party rushed to spot and found that a mob was beating one person ruthlessly. “The miscreants had also burnt hay and were trying to set the person ablaze. Some miscreants were trying to run a tractor over him,” he said. He said the youth was rescued and was later identified as Wasim Ahmad Tantray, reportedly mentally challenged person, son of Ghulam Nabi resident of Shakwara presently residing at Puthkhah Nowpora Sopore. “The injured was immediately rushed to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Sopore from where he was referred to a hospital in Srinagar in a critical condition,” he said. He said police has registered an FIR and the culprits involved have been identified. However, the locals alleged that the person they caught was not mentally-challenged as during questioning he gave a details description about his actions and motives behind the braid chopping incidents. “Many people have uploaded videos on social networking sites, including Facebook, and shared on WhatsApp about our details conversation with the accused. And nowhere did he appear to be mentally-challenged. It appears that police is trying to save the culprit,” the locals alleged. With no letup in braid chopping incidents, fear has gripped the valley, where many people, including two women, were thrashed by mobs at various places in the last about a month. Four Army soldiers in civvies were also thrashed by a mob is two separate incidents after they were mistaken as braid choppers in the valley early this week. Beggars and rag-pickers have also disappeared in the Valley fearing wrath of the locals, who now see every new face with suspicion. Police has come under severe criticism for not being able to make a breakthrough in braid chopping incidents in Kashmir, where over 100 such cases have been reported in over a month. Many women living in various parts of the Valley have stopped going to morning and evening walks fearing braid chopping. UNI