People shout slogans during a protest rally demanding arrest of the stalkers who allegedly chopped off the ear of a girl in Anantnag district in J&K
In a shocking incident, a group of men allegedly chopped off an ear of a 16-year-old girl, provoking protests in the Verinag area of south Kashmir today. Seven people have been arrested in connection with the case.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the girl, a student of Class 10, was on her way back from a school excursion in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in the state. A group of men, who had allegedly been stalking the students since they had embarked on their trip back home, reportedly attacked the girl when she was deboarding the bus near her school.
"They hit my daughter with a sharp-edged weapon and damaged her ear completely," said the girl's father.
The girl was immediately rushed to a hospital in Srinagar.
The police, meanwhile, have arrested all the seven accused, who they say are locals.
"We are investigating... all the culprits have been arrested and their van has been seized," said Tahir Hussain, Additional Superintendent of Police, Anantnag.
The Station House Officer of the area, where the incident took place, has also been placed under suspension.