TimesView Prima facie, an NC looks far too lenient for this case. Can a woman barge into someone else’s home along with three other women, forcibly take a minor girl to her own home , restrain her there and cut off her hair? And what of her tonsuring of her own daughter? The police’s penchant for taking such cases, where children’s liberty is at stake, casually is worrying.

MUMBAI: A Class 9 girl’s head was tonsured by her mother in a Bandra East slum, after which the mother, along with three others, entered the house of one of the girl’s friends in the neighbourhood and, after taking the friend forcibly to her own home, cut her tresses.The woman apparently carried out the act as she suspected her daughter of having an affair with a boy and felt the daughter and her friend were not giving her information on the matter, according to police.Kherwadi police have registered a non-cognizable (NC) offence under Section 504 (intentional insult) of the IPC and let the accused go after giving them a warning. The family of the girl whose tresses were cut has alleged the cops have taken the matter lightly. They have also said the girl is traumatised and has stopped going to school.According to the complainant family, the incident occurred on August 23. The victim’s brother, who works with a private firm, told TOI, “My sister is a close friend of the accused’s daughter, and both go to dance class together. The accused did not like her daughter going to dance class as their community does not permit it. Secondly, they suspected my sister knew of their daughter’s affair and wanted to know more from her, which she did not tell. That got them annoyed.”At 6.30pm on August 23, when the victim and her mother were at home, the women barged in. “At the time of the incident, my father and I were out. The women took my sister away, restrained her against her will and chopped her tresses,” he alleged.DCP Manjunath Singe said initially, it was a dispute between the two families, so the NC was registered. “I have asked Kherwadi senior inspector to verify the matter. The victim can approach the police station if there is more to the case,” Singe said.