Concerns over an alleged 'entity' cutting the hair of unwitting women in Indian villages continues as incident reports accumulate and get increasingly stranger.
Authorities say that an astounding 15 cases have been reported over the last two weeks, which brings the total to a whopping 23 such incidents said to have occurred since the panic began back in June.
The most recent victim described her ordeal to the Press Trust of India, telling the outlet that a "thin man in a red and yellow outfit" appeared at her doorstep while carrying a trident.
After the woman told the man to leave, he seemingly complied with her request only to return and somehow render her unconscious.
When she awoke, the woman says, "I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off."
The experience was so unsettling, despite not causing any physical wounds, that the woman went to the hospital to be examined and remains terrified by what happened to her.
For their part, police are skeptical that there are supernatural elements at work and attribute the attacks to 'anti-social' gangs looking to sow fear and chaos in the villages.
It would appear to be working as the 'hair-cutting ghost' has taken on a life of its own as word of the mysterious events spreads throughout the region.
One police official described it as such, "they say a cat-like animal appears and makes them unconscious. It then chops off their braids and disappears. The villagers claim that ghosts are behind it."
In addition to increasing patrols in the area, authorities have come up with a rather simple solution which they think could put an end to the panic: they're advising women to wear their hair in buns.
Source: Press Trust of India