Amravati ‘Ghost’ Scare: Students Report Strange Experiences, Over 600 Leave Hostel in Fear

Amravati: A shocking case related to superstition and fear has come to light from Melghat in Amravati district of Maharashtra. Rumours of 'ghosts' spread in the hostel after some girl students suddenly behaved strangely in Adivasi Ashram School, Doma in Dharani taluka. Within no time the fear increased so much that about 608 students left schools and hostels and went to their homes.

The investigation by the Health Department did not reveal any kind of ghostly interference. Doctors have called it mass psychogenic illness (mass hysteria). To remove the fear of children and send them back to school, the teams of Health Department and Maharashtra Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti are going from village to village and counselling them.

What happened in Ashram School?

About a week ago, a sudden change was noticed in 15 to 16 girl students living in the hostel. Some girl students started laughing loudly and some started crying. Some also said that they were hearing a sound like bells ringing. After getting information about the incident, the hostel superintendent informed the school administration.

The matter did not stop here. The next day this news reached the surrounding villages and the rumour spread that the girl students were possessed by ghosts. After this, fear spread among the parents and a large number of children left school and went to their homes.

How did the rumour of ghosts spread?

Various types of talks started happening at the local level regarding the incident. The biggest impact was on the girl students of Ektai village. Within no time many families took their children back from the hostel. The biggest challenge for the school administration was to convince the children and bring back their trust.

The health department team reached the school and examined the children. Doctors did not confirm any supernatural incident. According to experts, fear and stress in one child or group of children can affect other children as well and many people start experiencing similar symptoms.

Why did doctors call it mass hysteria?

According to doctors, mass psychogenic illness is a condition in which physical and behavioural symptoms start appearing simultaneously in a group due to fear, stress or some event. In this, the person may have complaints like hearing voices, nervousness, crying, laughing, dizziness or abnormal behaviour.

In this case too, after the initial incidents, rumours spread rapidly and fear increased among the children. Instead of linking it to ghosts, the Health Department has laid emphasis on counselling, considering it to be a psychological condition.

What is being done to get children back to school?

To ensure that children's education is not affected, workers of the Health Department and Maharashtra Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti are continuously contacting the families. The committee team has been reaching the remote villages of Melghat for the last three days and talking to the children and their families.

Despite heavy rains and bad roads, workers are reaching villages like Panchdongri, Khadimal, Chunkhadi and Ektai. Their aim is to make children understand that they do not need to be afraid of any ghost.

How many girl students are ready to return after counselling?

The effect of counselling is now visible. After talking to six girl students in Ektai village, they have expressed their desire to go back to school. In Khadimal also, efforts are being made to reduce the fear of girl students by talking to them.

The committee and the school administration say that it is most important to take the children out of the atmosphere of fear. For this, they are constantly being explained that their studies should not be stopped due to any rumour.

Will children's education be affected?

Due to 608 children leaving school, there is concern that their education will be affected. The school administration and the health department are trying to restore the confidence of the parents and ensure that the children return to classes as soon as possible. At present, counselling is being considered the most important solution in the entire matter.

This Melghat incident also shows how quickly rumours and superstition can create fear in children and families. Now the challenge before the administration and social organisations is not only to bring the children back to school but also to completely remove this fear from their minds.