Some women in Haryana, Rajasthan claim their braids are being chopped off (Representational Image)
At least 15 women from Rajasthan and Haryana are reporting that their braids were "mysteriously" chopped off in the last two weeks. The latest in the string of bizarre incidents is being reported out of Gurugram.
According to news agency PTI, a woman approached police on Saturday claiming she was attacked by a "strange-looking" man, fell unconscious and woke up to discover that her long hair had been cut off. PTI notes that several such instances have been reported from various villages in the Mewat region and in parts of Rajasthan in the last two weeks, though police say some cases are likely rumours.
Sunita Devi, a resident of Ashok Vihar phase-III, says she was attacked by a man in his 60s when she was alone in her house on Friday night.
"While I was preparing dinner in the kitchen, I saw a thin man in a red and yellow outfit on the main entrance of my house. When I went to enquire, I saw he was carrying a trident. I told him to go away. He went away and disappeared ... when I closed the gate, he mysteriously reappeared," PTI quotes her as saying.
Ms Devi claims she then fell unconscious.
"When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off," she says. She points out that her house was not ransacked, ruling out an attempted robbery. Ms Devi reports no other injuries.
Police say they have taken note of the latest incident and are investigating, though in their opinion, as of now, it is not a criminal matter.
"We have enhanced night patrolling in the area," Gurugram Police PRO Ravinder Kumar assures PTI.
He admits, however, that the "mane" culprit has not yet been identified.
"We are examining CCTV footage...to get clues as no one, including the victims, has concrete evidence," Mr Kumar says.
"In all cases, the victims fall unconscious...and all of them are claiming phantasm," he adds.
Mewat Deputy Commissioner Mani Ram Sharma, meanwhile, is confident the cops will have an answer as to what is going on soon.
"There is nothing like ghosts...some anti-social gang or group is trying to create panic in the region. Police and administration have beefed up vigil and security and have urged residents and villagers not to spread rumours," he says.
PTI reports women have been advised to tie their hair up in buns instead of braids. Though, to be honest, we're not entirely sure how a change in hair-do will actually help.
(With inputs from PTI)Click for more
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