Ranchi, Aug. 19: A woman was today lynched at Mirganj village in Radha Nagar police station area of Sahebganj district, around 400km from the capital city, on the suspicion of being a braid-cutter (or choti katwa), rumours about which have swiftly travelled from Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh to Jharkhand.

Her three companions, including a nine-year-old boy, were injured in the mob attack.

Over half-a-dozen police personnel, including ASI Kapildeo Kesri, were hurt by the stone-pelting mob when they tried to rescue the quartet.

The deceased succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at the community health centre in Rajmahal. The condition of the other three, who are being treated at the same place, is said to be improving.

The identities of the victims, who are primarily mendicants and rag pickers, have not been confirmed.

"The situation is under control. Adequate number of police have been deployed in the area," Sahebganj SP P. Murugan said.

According to unconfirmed reports, a woman in Mirganj village found her braid mysteriously chopped off while she was relieving herself in the field. This triggered a hunt for the braid-cutters, which ended with the villagers spotting a group of four mendicants at 9am. They were attacked with sticks and rods.

"No FIR has so far been registered. But we have begun investigations on our own. The real culprits will be caught soon," the Sahebganj SP said.

Of late, unsubstantiated reports about mysterious braid chopping are giving the cops sleepless nights across the district. People have also begun hanging lemon and chillies on doorways to ward off the evil.

A few weeks ago, a woman in Godda town thana area claimed she had lost her tresses under mysterious circumstances. However, police inquiries revealed that her angry husband had chopped off her hair.