Kundura: Panic gripped the girls’ hostel of Khatlapadar upper primary school of Bhusangaguda panchayat under this block in Koraput district after five of its inmates fell ill Friday after reportedly experiencing paranormal activities near the hostel.
The students were Mitu Bisoi (Class VII), Budhi Harijan (Class VI), Lalita Bhatra (Class VI), Sanei Santa (Class VI). Earlier, another student had blood dysentery over the issue. They claimed to have seen a ‘ghost’ while playing in the afternoon August 14.
Locals, however, dubbed it as the impact of watching a particular serial on television.
Though headmaster Prakash Nath and hostel in-charge Pratima Marana had several counselling sessions with students earlier in this regard, they yielded no results. The teachers were clueless about the unusual development.
On being alerted, block welfare extension officer Shailendra Rath visited the school Saturday. In this age of science, they should not believe in such imaginary things and suffer from illness, Rath explained to students.
The school, with a student strength of 359, has six teaching staff against the requirement of 11, the headmaster said. More than 110 inmates have been accommodated in the 100-seat hostel, he added.
Though construction of an additional school building for class rooms had begun in 2013, it is yet to be completed. The kids might have been scared after seeing semi-constructed old building which resembles a ghost house, local villagers said. PNN
