Candy332540216 at 19:45, 17 August 2025

2025-08-17T19:45:35Z

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{{Short description|none}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2025}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=May 2018}}
{{confusing|date=October 2017}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox recurring event 
|name = Mysterious hair chopping incidents in India
|native_name =
|native_name_lang =
|logo =
|logo_alt =
|logo_caption =
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|image =
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|alt =
|caption = A sample of chopped braid from Kashmir
|status = Ended
|genre = Mystery, rumours, human or animal activities
|date =
|begins = June 2017
|frequency = Weekly, alternately, monthly
|venue =
|location =
|coordinates =
|country = [[India]]
|years_active = 
|founder_name = 
|last = 
|prev =
|next =
|participants =
|attendance =
|capacity =
|area =
|budget =
|activity = Braid chopping
|leader_name =
|patron =
|organised = 
|filing =
|people =
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|website = 
|current =
|footnotes =
|ends=October 2017}}

Numerous unexplained and mysterious hair and braid chopping incidents were being reported across [[India]] between June and October 2017. The first widely reported incident was on 23 June 2017, when ''[[ABP News]]'' reported a woman from [[Bikaner district|Bikaner District]], Rajasthan, had her hair chopped allegedly by a '[[Witchcraft|witch]]' ([[Dayan (witch)|dayan]]) while she was asleep at night. Similar incidents were also reported throughout India, particularly in the northern states of [[Delhi]], [[Bihar]], [[Haryana]], [[Uttarakhand]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]].

==India==
===Rajasthan===
On 23 June 2017 [[ABP News]] reported a woman from [[Bikaner district|Bikaner District]], Rajasthan had her hair chopped by a 'witch' as she slept.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://abpnews.abplive.in/videos/viral-sach-is-there-a-witch-who-chops-off-people-s-hair-while-they-are-asleep-642035|title=रात में लोगों की बाल काटने वाली 'चुड़ैल' का वायरल सच|date=2017-06-23|work=ABP News|access-date=2017-08-22|language=en-US|archive-date=21 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821122219/http://abpnews.abplive.in/videos/viral-sach-is-there-a-witch-who-chops-off-people-s-hair-while-they-are-asleep-642035|url-status=dead}}</ref> Additional hair-chopping incidents followed, and fears of an epidemic{{snd}}particularly in Rajasthan{{snd}}soared. Incidents occurred not only at night but also during the day.

Three days before the 23 June event, a similar incident was reported in [[Piparcity|Pipar City]], Jodhpur District, where a girl's hair had been found cut when she awoke in the morning.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.bhaskar.com/news/RAJ-JOD-HMU-MAT-latest-jodhpur-news-043016-2841137-NOR.html|title=रात में बाल काटने की अफवाह या सच्चाई, पुलिस के लिए पहेली|date=2017-06-20|work=dainikbhaskar|access-date=2017-08-23|language=hi}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> This news was first reported by [[Dainik Bhaskar]]. Along with the missing hair, the girl displayed injuries on other parts of her body.<sup>[which parts?please tell]</sup> When police investigated, they found that the girl's hair had been cut by a blade. However, they were unable to find the culprit.

On 6 July 2017, the ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' reported that two girls from Rajasthan, aged 13 and 14 years old, and both unknown to each other, were victims of additional hair incidents.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajasthan-s-scissorhands-panic-in-villages-after-ghost-chops-off-women-s-hair/story-bQ0ZHij1WVQGOeHTPzybaI.html|title=Rajasthan's scissorhands? Panic in villages after 'ghost' chops off women's hair| date=2017-07-06|newspaper=Hindustan Times|access-date=2025-03-29|language=en}}</ref>

On 8 July 2017, the [[BBC]] reported that many western municipalities including [[Bikaner district|Bikaner]], [[Nagaur district|Nagaur]], [[Jaisalmer district|Jaisalmer]], [[Barmer district|Barmer]], [[Jodhpur district|Jodhpur]], and [[Jalore district|Jalore districts]] had been affected by these incidents.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-40542956|title=अफ़वाहों से परेशान हैं राजस्थान की महिलाएं|last=राठौड़|first=सुमेर सिंह|date=2017-07-08|work=BBC हिंदी|access-date=2017-08-22|language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Uttar Pradesh===
In early August 2017, two cases were reported from [[Aligarh district|Aligarh]] and [[Moradabad district]]s. Four cases were reported in [[Bulandshahr district]]. But later [[Uttar Pradesh Police]] and [[Delhi Police]] clarified that the incidents were only rumours.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/fresh-cases-of-mysterious-hair-chopping-surface-in-aligarh-moradabad-and-bulandshahr-uttar-pradesh-delhi-4783182/|title=Fresh cases of mysterious hair-chopping surface in Aligarh, Moradabad and Bulandshahr|date=2017-08-05|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2017-08-22|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/6-hair-chopping-cases-turn-out-to-be-false/article62048420.ece | title=6 hair-chopping cases turn out to be false | newspaper=The Hindu | date=5 August 2017 | accessdate=29 March 2025 }}</ref> According to [[The Indian Express]] news channel, around thirty cases were filed all over north India.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/fresh-cases-of-mysterious-hair-chopping-surface-in-aligarh-moradabad-and-bulandshahr-uttar-pradesh-delhi-4783182/|title=Fresh cases of mysterious hair-chopping surface in Aligarh, Moradabad and Bulandshahr|date=2017-08-05|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2017-08-22|language=en-US}}</ref>

On 2 August, a 62-year-old woman was killed by angry villagers in [[Agra district]] for being accused as a "witch" who cut the braids of girls. [[NDTV India]] reported this news on 3 August 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://m.ndtv.com/india-news/woman-branded-witch-killed-in-uttar-pradesh-amid-braid-cutting-scare-1733038|title=Woman Branded Witch, Killed In UP Amid 'Braid Cutting' Scare|website=m.ndtv.com|language=en|access-date=2017-08-24}}</ref> UP police filed murder cases on two suspects who fled the city and were neighbors of the victim.

===Delhi===
On 1 August 2017, three women, unknown to each other and aged between 50 and 60, from [[Kangan Heri]] complained about being the victims of hair-chopping incidents on the same day. None of the women had seen their perpetrator, but when they fell unconscious and later woke up, they found their hair chopped.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://qz.com/1046374/a-mysterious-braid-chopper-is-cutting-off-womens-hair-in-northern-india/|title=A mysterious "braid-chopper" is cutting off women's hair in northern India|work=Quartz|access-date=2017-08-23|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Haryana===
Fifteen cases were reported in Haryana state. The women who were victims of these types of incidents said that they had witnessed "[[Godman (India)|godmen]]", "[[Dayan (witch)|witches]]", "[[Bhoota (ghost)|ghosts]]" and "cat-like creatures". The police rejected these claims.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}}

One such incident happened in [[Gurgaon]] on 28 July, when a 60-year-old woman found her braid chopped when she awoke on the floor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/07/31/mysterious-incidents-of-womens-braids-being-chopped-off-spreads_a_23057298/|title=Mysterious Incidents Of Women's Braids Being Chopped Off Spreads Panic In Haryana Villages|date=2017-07-31|website=Huffington Post India|access-date=2017-08-24}}</ref> She made claims that a thin man came to her doorsteps with a trident in his hand. She claims she asked him to leave, but he reappeared, which led her to fall unconscious. The police filed the case and entered it in the Daily Diary.{{Explain|date=January 2018}}

===Jammu and Kashmir===
There have been more than 200 incidents of women being attacked and often knocked unconscious by men in balaclavas, who then chop off their traditional hair braids. Officers had no solid leads or suspects, and [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]] (JKP) had to respond to a surge of revenge attacks by vigilantes armed with knives, [[cricket bat]]s, and iron rods.

The initial police response to the braid attacks, which mainly occurred inside people's homes, was to suggest the victims were suffering from hallucinations. This drew criticism from the government-run Women's Commission, and they began serious investigations but no arrests have been made.{{when|date=May 2018}}

Tasleema Bilal, a 40-year-old woman whose hair was cut off in September 2018 while she was in her home in [[Srinagar]], the region's main city, said that she tried to remove the attacker's mask before escaping, leaving her hair behind. Other women have said that they were knocked unconscious with a mysterious chemical spray that authorities have yet to identify.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/mysterious-braid-chopping-bandits-have-kashmiris-in-panic/|title=Mysterious braid-chopping bandits have Kashmiris in panic|last=Hussain|first=Aijaz|date=2017-10-24|work=CTVNews|access-date=2018-03-17|language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.apnews.com/892d2948287b4a3fb230f9597c654d1f|title=Mystery attacks chopping women's hair raise panic in Kashmir|work=AP News|access-date=2018-03-17|language=en-US}}</ref>

Kashmiris have alleged the attacks are the "handiwork of Indian agencies" trying to intimidate the portion of Kashmir's population that opposes Indian rule.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}} Residents are also suspicious of the Indian authorities, and some have accused soldiers and police of staging the attacks or protecting those responsible. In many incidents, the police and [[Indian Army]] appeared to aid the braid choppers in escaping by taking and saving them from public vigilantes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/24/women-living-fear-braid-chopping-bandits/|title = The women living in fear of 'braid-chopping' bandits|newspaper = The Telegraph|date = 24 October 2017|last1 = Wright|first1 = Mike}}</ref>

On 22 October 2017, [[Arab News]], a Saudi Arabian news agency, reported that around 100 women in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Kashmir]] have been victims of hair-chopping incidents.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1181506/world|title=Mystery 'braid-chopping' cases add panic to trauma in Kashmir|date=2017-10-22|work=Arab News|access-date=2018-03-17|language=en}}</ref>

==Religious responses==
{{Expand section|date=January 2018|the cultural importance of a woman's hair (and the act of removing it) in these regions.}}

===Hinduism===
In the 23 June case, the victim's legs and hands had a ''[[Trishula]]'' (Trident) mark,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://abpnews.abplive.in/videos/viral-sach-is-there-a-witch-who-chops-off-people-s-hair-while-they-are-asleep-642035|title=रात में लोगों की बाल काटने वाली 'चुड़ैल' का वायरल सच|date=2017-06-23|work=ABP News|access-date=2017-08-22|language=en-US|archive-date=21 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821122219/http://abpnews.abplive.in/videos/viral-sach-is-there-a-witch-who-chops-off-people-s-hair-while-they-are-asleep-642035|url-status=dead}}</ref> linking the incident to Hinduism. However, no Hindu religious leaders have responded to this detail.

===Islam===
Some [[Indian Muslims]] have also been victims of these types of incidents. Some Islamic scholars stated that these incidents are being executed by mischievous elements in society.

==Change in the rumor==
On 19 August, a report from [[Dainik Bhaskar]] changed the discussion surrounding these events. The report clearly proved that there was no such evidence of a witch or a ghost being responsible. In this report, a man from [[Gwalior]], Madhya Pradesh caught an insect which was later suspected to be a [[dermestidae]], [[drugstore beetle]], [[rain beetle]] or [[varied carpet beetle]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.bhaskar.com/news/c-6-scarce-insect-found-claimed-to-be-the-hair-scrapping-beetle-gw0197-NOR.html|title=चोटी काटने वाला समझ पकड़ ली ये अजीब चीज, फिर ये सच्चाई आई सामने|date=2017-08-16|work=dainikbhaskar|access-date=2017-08-22|language=hi}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> This insect is believed to feed on keratin found in hair and nails.{{explain|date=May 2018|How does finding a beetle prove anything?}}

A similar case occurred on 9 August, when in [[Moradabad district]] a man killed a [[honey badger]] accused of eating or chopping women's hair, but due to lack of evidence, this report faced negligence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://hindi.oneindia.com/news/uttar-pradesh/women-suspect-an-animal-as-hair-cutter-418241.html|title=VIDEO: बाल काटने की अफवाह में भेंट चढ़ा 'बिज्जू'|work=hindi.oneindia.com|access-date=2017-08-23|language=hi}}</ref>

On 17 August, a report from [[Manpur, Bhopal|Manpur, Bhopal district]], Madhya Pradesh had several eyewitnesses. The incident happened around 4 pm as the victim was sitting outside her house. She suddenly felt that her hair was being cut off. Her screaming brought the attention of her grandmother, who saw that her hair was being cut off, but she did not see anyone do it. Her grandmother quickly caught her fallen hair and the cutting stopped. Later the grandmother discovered an unusual detail. She noticed that as she picked up and held the hair, the rest of her granddaughter's hair was sheared, except for the exact number of hairs she held.{{Explanation needed|date=January 2018}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.firstwall.com/news/top-news/newstrack/e83d867fea5d37b504c196dd57bf44cb?ref=fw-sim|title=चोटी काटने के मामले में नया मोड़, जितने बाल हाथ में आए बच गए बाकि गिर गए नीचे|work=firstwall|access-date=2017-08-23}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Witch-hunts in India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Violence against women in India]]
[[Category:2017 in India]]
[[Category:History of women in India]]
[[Category:Hair removal]]
[[Category:Modern witch hunts]]
[[Category:June 2017 in India]]
[[Category:October 2017 in India]]
[[Category:July 2017 in India]]
[[Category:August 2017 in India]]
[[Category:Superstitions of India]]
[[Category:2010s in Rajasthan]]
[[Category:2010s in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:2010s in Delhi]]
[[Category:2010s in Haryana]]
[[Category:2010s in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:2010s in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Religious controversies in India]]
[[Category:Moral panic]]
[[Category:Fake news in India]]
[[Category:2017 crimes in India]]
[[Category:Riots and civil disorder in India]]
[[Category:Mass media-related controversies in India]]
[[Category:2017 in women's history]]

2017 hair and braid chopping incidents in India - Revision history

Candy332540216 at 19:45, 17 August 2025