Women

Mewat

Sunita

Malhaka

Mani Ram Sharma

2001in Delhi

At least 15 incidents of women’s braids being mysteriously chopped off have been reported from the villages of theregion in last two weeks, police said on Sunday.These bizzare happenings have left the villagers in panic mode. Most women claimed to have fallen unconscious when their braids were chopped off leading to the villagers blaming godmen, ghosts, witches and “cat-like” creatures.One such incident was reported from Gurgaon on Saturday.Devi claimed that on the night of July 28 she was attacked by a strange-looking man, in his 60s, when she was alone in her house.“I saw a thin man on the main entrance of my house. I saw he was carrying a trident. I told him to go away,” she claimed. Sunita said before she could comprehend anything she fell unconscious. “When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off.”Another incident was reported invillage where a woman complained of having gone through the same thing.To deal with the rising apprehension caused by these incidents, women have been asked to tie their hair in buns instead of braids. And women are venturing outside only in large groups and patrol parties have also been formed to nab those responsible.Mewat Deputy Commissionersaid, “There is nothing like ghosts... some anti-social gang or group is trying to create panic in the region. We have beefed up vigil and have urged villagers not to spread rumours,” he said.This incident is similar to the ‘Monkey Man’ scare inwhen there were reports of a strange monkey-like creature attacking people at night.