Woman lynched in Jharkhand on suspicion of being braid-chopper

A woman was allegedly lynched by a mob on the suspicion that she was a member of a braid-chopping gang in Jharkhand's Sahibgunj district, the police said today.
The incident took place yesterday at Mirnagar village under the jurisdiction of Radhanagar police station. Three persons, who too were assaulted by the mob on the suspicion that they were members of the gang, have been rescued, a police officer said.
Asserting that there were no incidents of chopping of women's braids in the district, Superintendent of Police P Murugan said reports of such incidents were canards.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das expressed concern over the killing of the woman and termed it unfortunate, an official release said in Ranchi today.

Referring the incident, the SP said the mob had taken some persons and the woman into captivity and assaulted them on the suspicion of being braid-choppers.
The district police rushed to the spot, rescued the victims and shifted the seriously injured woman to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries, he said.

The police had to resort to baton charge and fire a few rounds in the air to disperse the mob, Murugan said, adding strict action will be taken against anyone taking law into their hands or spreading rumours.
Chief Minister Das appealed to the people of the state not to take law in their hands and not to pay any attention to rumours of braid cutting, the release said, adding he also directed the administration to take strict action against the guilty.

The chief minister also announced that the government would take care of the deceased's 14-year-old son, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the East Singhbhum district police held a meeting with the village heads and elected representatives in several areas to make people aware about the rumours related to braid-chopping.