Chopped tresses leave Greater Noida villagers scared

Shikha, a student of class 12, was sleeping with her family members in the courtyard. She said that when she woke up, around 6am, she spotted chopped tresses on the floor and started waking up her cousins to ask if their hair had been chopped. However, none of them reported that their hair was chopped.

Panic gripped the village of Acheja in Greater Noida after an 18-year-old woman claimed her tresses were chopped early Thursday morning.

18-year-old Shikha shows where her hair was cut.

Shikha, a student of class 12, was sleeping with her family members in the courtyard. She said that when she woke up, around 6am, she spotted chopped tresses on the floor and started waking up her cousins to ask if their hair had been chopped. However, none of them reported that their hair was chopped.

“I picked up the chopped tresses and showed it to my mother, who was shocked to see it. I told her that none of the girls of the house reported that their hair had been chopped. She checked my braid and found my tresses had been chopped. It caused panic among those present at home, “ said 18-year-old Shikha.

The joint family, of 10 members, recalled the recent incidents of braid chopping in Delhi and Haryana. Shikha’s father, Rajpal Singh Nagar, 43, who owns a dhaba in Badalpur said that he is confused over the situation.

“Since it is hot outside, we place cots in the courtyard and sleep by 10pm. None of us noticed when the tresses of my daughter were chopped. I do not have any rivalry and no one dares to scale the walls of the house,” said Nagar.

He said, “Kuch to hai jo meri samajh se bahar hai. Koi ajeeb si baat hai ye. (This is a mysterious act. It is beyond my understanding.)”

The incident has left the elders of the family scared.

Shikha’s grandmother said, “This incident should not have any impact on my granddaughter’s life. We did not allow her to go to Sant Vinoba Inter College, Baidpura, where she studies.”

Nagar said that he is not superstitious and did not report the incident to the police. He said he has also discussed the incident with his neighbours. Nagar, who is a father of three, said,“I will not organise any hawan (prayers). I will accept what life brings me.”

Villagers who had gathered outside the residence were also discussing such incidents being reported in their village.

They said that a similar incident was reported at a residence 1.5 kilometres away, but the family denied that the incident took place.