A surprising case related to superstition and fear has come to light from Melghat in Amravati district of Maharashtra. The rumor of ghosts spread so fast in Adivasi Ashram School located in Doma of Dharni taluka that about 608 students left the school and hostel and went home. However, after investigation, health experts have declared it to be not a ghost but a ‘mass psychogenic illness’ i.e. mass hysteria. The teams of the Health Department and Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANIS) are continuously working to remove the fear of the students and get them involved in studies again.
It is being told that about a week ago there was a sudden change in the behavior of 15-16 girl students living in the hostel. Some girl students started laughing loudly, while some started crying. Many girl students also told that they were hearing sounds like bells ringing. Hostel superintendent Ujjwala Ingle informed the school headmaster about the matter. After this, the next day the news spread rapidly in the village that the girl students were possessed by ghosts. The impact of the rumor increased so much that more than 300 girl students got scared and left the hostel and went to their homes. Among these, the number of girl students from Ektai village was said to be more.
Doctors told the real reason
After the situation worsened, the health department team reached the school and examined the students. The doctors made it clear that this was not a case of any ghost. According to him, the simultaneous appearance of such symptoms due to fear and stress in many people is called ‘mass hysteria’ or ‘mass psychogenic illness’. Experts called it a psychological condition, which can be treated and counseled.
Counseling is taking place from village to village
ANIS teams have taken charge to ensure that students’ studies are not affected. Committee members have been visiting different villages of Melghat for the last three days and talking to children and their families. Despite heavy rains and bad roads, counseling is going on in areas like Panchdongri, Khadimal, Chunkhadi and Ektai.
Its effect is also visible. After counseling six girl students of Ektai village have expressed their desire to return to school. In Khadimal also, the fear of girl students is being removed by talking to them. The school administration and committee team are appealing to the children not to believe the rumors and return to school to continue their studies.