Greed for money, publicity driving 'braid cutting' rumors in UP

Greed for money and publicity, it seems, has been driving 'braid cutting' rumours across Uttar Pradesh.

According to the sources, the police had come across some incidents, where the alleged victims had cut their braids themselves hoping to get financial compensation or attain publicity.

Sources said that a woman, resident of Muradnagar area in Ghaziabad district, cut her braid after she was told by a relative that she could receive financial compensation.

In another incident, an 11-year old boy allegedly cut the braid of his grand mother at Dayanatpur village in Gautam Buddh Nagar district on Sunday night.

During the interrogation, the boy admitted to cutting his grandmother's braid and said that he had done so as he wanted the family to get publicity. The boy was let off with a warning.

One person, identified as Zaheer Khan, was arrested in UP's Lakhimpur-Kheri district, about 150 kilometres from here, on charges of spreading braid cutting rumours on social networking sites. Khan was the husband of a village panchayat chief in the district.

Police officials warned that stern action would be taken against those, who were found to be spreading rumours.

Police sources said that alleged incidents of 'braid cutting' continued in the state. So far around one hundred incidents of alleged braid cutting had been reported from different parts of the state in the past few days.

At least two women were allegedly assaulted and another was lynched to death by a mob in different parts of UP. The authorities have directed the district officials to crack down on rumour mongers.

Police are keeping a close watch on the social networking sites also to find out if they were being used to spread rumours.