4 days ago
Officials Spend Night at ‘Haunted’ Tribal Hostel to Reassure Students
Some students at a tribal hostel became frightened by rumours about a ghost.
The rumours said that some girls had been possessed.
About 610 of the roughly 850 students went home.
To help the children feel safe, senior officials stayed at the school overnight.
They ate dinner and talked with the students.
The officials said people should not believe frightening superstitions without evidence.
Doctors and health workers found no proof of anything supernatural.
They connected the girls’ symptoms with stress and fear.
The visit was meant to rebuild the students’ confidence.
Senior officials stayed overnight at a tribal residential school in Doma village, Amravati.
The visit followed rumours that students had been possessed by a ghost.
Around 610 of approximately 850 students left the hostel for home.
Health assessments found no supernatural evidence and linked symptoms to stress-related dissociative or conversion symptoms.
Officials ate dinner, spoke with students and urged a scientific outlook over superstition.
- Who
- Amravati Collector Ashish Yerekar, Zilla Parishad CEO Satyam Gandhi, Superintendent of Police Niketan Kadam and other senior officials.
- What
- Officials spent the night at a tribal residential school to counter ghost rumours and reassure students.
- Where
- The school campus in Doma village, Chikhaldara taluka, Amravati.
- When
- Tuesday night; the article does not provide a calendar date.
- Why
- Rumours had frightened students, led about 610 children to leave, and created fear at the hostel.
Rumour-Based Explanation
Evidence-Based Explanation
Cause of the students’ experiences
Rumour-Based Explanation
Rumours attributed the girls’ reported experiences to a ghost or possession.
Evidence-Based Explanation
A subsequent health assessment found no supernatural evidence and associated the symptoms with stress and fear.
How to respond
Rumour-Based Explanation
Fear surrounding the rumours prompted many students to leave the hostel for home.
Evidence-Based Explanation
Officials stayed at the campus and encouraged students to reject superstition and rely on a scientific outlook.
Key facts
- Students enrolled
- Approximately 850 students
- Students who left
- Around 610 students went home
- Officials present
- Ashish Yerekar, Satyam Gandhi, Niketan Kadam and other senior officials
- Official response
- Officials stayed overnight, had dinner and interacted with students
- Health assessment
- No evidence of supernatural activity was found
- Reported symptoms
- Linked to dissociative or conversion symptoms associated with mental stress and fear
- Official message
- Students were urged to reject superstition and adopt a scientific outlook
Quotes
Niketan Kadam
Amravati district Superintendent of Police
“There were rumours of presence of a ‘ghost’ at the school, which created fear among students. We wanted to personally be there, stay the night and instil confidence among the students”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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