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| The 'mysterious' hair thieves striking fear in India | The 'mysterious' hair thieves striking fear in India |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| More than 50 women in the northern Indian states of Haryana and Rajasthan have reported that mysterious persons have been chopping off their hair while they were unconscious. The police are struggling to solve the mystery, leaving women paranoid and worried, reports the BBC's Vikas Pandey. | More than 50 women in the northern Indian states of Haryana and Rajasthan have reported that mysterious persons have been chopping off their hair while they were unconscious. The police are struggling to solve the mystery, leaving women paranoid and worried, reports the BBC's Vikas Pandey. |
| "There was a strong flash of light that left me unconscious. An hour later, I found that my hair had also been chopped off," says Sunita Devi, a 53-year-old housewife from the Bhimgarh Kheri area of Gurgaon district in Haryana. | "There was a strong flash of light that left me unconscious. An hour later, I found that my hair had also been chopped off," says Sunita Devi, a 53-year-old housewife from the Bhimgarh Kheri area of Gurgaon district in Haryana. |
| The "attack" on Friday has left her traumatised. | The "attack" on Friday has left her traumatised. |
| "I am unable to sleep or concentrate on anything. I had read about such incidents taking place in Rajasthan, but never thought it would happen to me," she adds. | "I am unable to sleep or concentrate on anything. I had read about such incidents taking place in Rajasthan, but never thought it would happen to me," she adds. |
| Reports of "phantom barbers" first emerged in early July from Rajasthan, but a spate of similar incidents are being reported from Haryana and even the capital, Delhi. | Reports of "phantom barbers" first emerged in early July from Rajasthan, but a spate of similar incidents are being reported from Haryana and even the capital, Delhi. |
| Ms Devi lives in a close-knit community of traders and farmers. | Ms Devi lives in a close-knit community of traders and farmers. |
| Some of her neighbours are taking it in turns to stay with her until she is able to come out of the shock. | Some of her neighbours are taking it in turns to stay with her until she is able to come out of the shock. |
| She says her attacker was an elderly man "dressed in bright-coloured clothes". | She says her attacker was an elderly man "dressed in bright-coloured clothes". |
| "I was alone on the ground floor of the house, and my daughter-in-law and grandson were upstairs when the attack happened at around 9.30pm," she says. | "I was alone on the ground floor of the house, and my daughter-in-law and grandson were upstairs when the attack happened at around 9.30pm," she says. |
| They saw and heard nothing. | They saw and heard nothing. |
| The mystery deepens when I ask if anybody else saw the attacker. | The mystery deepens when I ask if anybody else saw the attacker. |
| Ms Devi's neighbour Munesh Devi says that the narrow lane, which has around 20 houses, is usually buzzing between 9 and 10pm. | Ms Devi's neighbour Munesh Devi says that the narrow lane, which has around 20 houses, is usually buzzing between 9 and 10pm. |
| "People get together after dinner to just talk and relax. Friday was no different, but none of us saw any unknown person going in or coming out of Sunita's house," she says. | "People get together after dinner to just talk and relax. Friday was no different, but none of us saw any unknown person going in or coming out of Sunita's house," she says. |
| And it didn't end there. | And it didn't end there. |
| Just a few yards away, homemaker Asha Devi lost her hair in a similar attack the following day. | Just a few yards away, homemaker Asha Devi lost her hair in a similar attack the following day. |
| But this time the attacker was reportedly a woman. | But this time the attacker was reportedly a woman. |
| Asha Devi's father-in-law, Suraj Pal, says that following the incident, he sent her and other women of his family to a relative's house in Uttar Pradesh state. | Asha Devi's father-in-law, Suraj Pal, says that following the incident, he sent her and other women of his family to a relative's house in Uttar Pradesh state. |
| "They were so paranoid after the attack, I told them to be away for a few weeks. There is fear in the community," he says. | "They were so paranoid after the attack, I told them to be away for a few weeks. There is fear in the community," he says. |
| Mr Pal says he was at home when Asha Devi went outside to complete a household chore at around 10pm. | Mr Pal says he was at home when Asha Devi went outside to complete a household chore at around 10pm. |
| "I went outside to find her when she didn't return for more than 30 minutes. We found her unconscious in the bathroom. Her hair was chopped and thrown on the floor," he says. | "I went outside to find her when she didn't return for more than 30 minutes. We found her unconscious in the bathroom. Her hair was chopped and thrown on the floor," he says. |
| He adds that Asha gained consciousness after an hour and told him that a woman had attacked her. | He adds that Asha gained consciousness after an hour and told him that a woman had attacked her. |
| "She told me that everything happened in less than 10 seconds," he says. | "She told me that everything happened in less than 10 seconds," he says. |
| I found similar cases in rural areas of Rewari district - around 70km (43 miles) from Gurgaon. These are a few: | I found similar cases in rural areas of Rewari district - around 70km (43 miles) from Gurgaon. These are a few: |
| 'Mass hysteria' | 'Mass hysteria' |
| Gurgaon police spokesperson Ravinder Kumar says that the complaints are being investigated. | Gurgaon police spokesperson Ravinder Kumar says that the complaints are being investigated. |
| "These are bizarre cases. We have found no clues at crime scenes, medical tests of the victims show nothing abnormal," he said, adding that nobody has seen the alleged attackers. | "These are bizarre cases. We have found no clues at crime scenes, medical tests of the victims show nothing abnormal," he said, adding that nobody has seen the alleged attackers. |
| Mr Kumar adds that police from different districts are coordinating efforts to "make some sense" of these incidents. | Mr Kumar adds that police from different districts are coordinating efforts to "make some sense" of these incidents. |
| "Only the victims say that they have seen or felt the presence of attackers. We will get to the bottom of these cases, but until then, I urge people to not believe in rumours," he says. | "Only the victims say that they have seen or felt the presence of attackers. We will get to the bottom of these cases, but until then, I urge people to not believe in rumours," he says. |
| And rumours are not in short supply. | And rumours are not in short supply. |
| As I travelled from one village to another, I was given different theories for the attacks. | As I travelled from one village to another, I was given different theories for the attacks. |
| In one village, an elderly person told me that an organised gang was involved. Another person said he believed that tantriks, or so-called witch doctors, were behind the attacks because people go to them for treatment in such scenarios. | In one village, an elderly person told me that an organised gang was involved. Another person said he believed that tantriks, or so-called witch doctors, were behind the attacks because people go to them for treatment in such scenarios. |
| One woman insisted "supernatural forces" were involved. Others accused the "victims" of cutting their hair to get attention. | One woman insisted "supernatural forces" were involved. Others accused the "victims" of cutting their hair to get attention. |
| Rationalist Sanal Edamaruku told the BBC that he believed that these cases were a classic example of "mass hysteria". | Rationalist Sanal Edamaruku told the BBC that he believed that these cases were a classic example of "mass hysteria". |
| "There is no miracle or supernatural force behind all this. Women who have reported these cases must be going through some internal physiological conflict." he says. | "There is no miracle or supernatural force behind all this. Women who have reported these cases must be going through some internal physiological conflict." he says. |
| "When they hear about such incidents, they end up replicating it - sometimes even subconsciously." | "When they hear about such incidents, they end up replicating it - sometimes even subconsciously." |
| But Reena Devi disagrees. | |
| "I spent years growing my hair and it made me happy. And now that it's gone, you can't even imagine my pain. It's ridiculous to say that women are chopping off their own hair," she says. | |
| Other incidents of mass hysteria in India | Other incidents of mass hysteria in India |