600 Students Leave Maharashtra Tribal Hostel After ‘Possession’ Rumours

Nearly 600 students left a government-run tribal residential school in Maharashtra’s Amravati district after rumours spread that some girls were possessed by spirits. Authorities and health experts have linked the unusual behaviour to stress, anxiety and psychological factors, while counselling has now encouraged students to return.

The incident occurred at the Doma Government Tribal Ashramshala in Chikhaldara taluka’s Melghat region. The school has 608 students, including 263 boys and 345 girls. Parents took the children home after a series of incidents involving girl students triggered panic.

The episode began on July 22, when some girls reportedly started crying, laughing, screaming and behaving unusually. Reports later described symptoms including trembling, fainting, aggression, prolonged silence and becoming unresponsive or numb. Videos and rumours about the incidents further increased fear among students and parents.

A health team that examined the students said there was no evidence of supernatural activity. Officials described the episodes as stress-related and hysteria-like, while medical reports have referred to psychosomatic symptoms and, in some affected girls, Dissociative Conversion Disorder.

As rumours spread, several explanations emerged. Some students and locals believed spirits had been angered after a mahua tree at the school was cut down. Others linked the incidents to a temple near the school that was allegedly affected by a drainage channel, or to the death of an Adivasi youth near the campus. Some students also reportedly said they heard anklets at night.

Fear was further fuelled by a recent food-poisoning incident in nearby Dharni, according to local reports. There were also reports that some students had recently watched a horror film, which activists said may have added to their anxiety, although they did not say the film itself caused the episodes.

The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS) intervened to counter the rumours. Its members visited the school on August 10 and conducted counselling and awareness sessions in nearby villages from August 11 to 13. Activists said they found no evidence of paranormal activity and even stayed overnight at the school.

The controversy also took a troubling turn when a local ‘bhumka’ or faith healer reportedly performed rituals on one of the girls. A complaint was reportedly made to Chikhaldara police over the incident.

Headmaster Sanjay Chaudhary said some students had already returned. Officials and activists are continuing efforts to restore confidence and ensure that the students resume their education.