Mass Hysteria or Ghosts? 'Ghungroo' Sounds, Possession Claims Spark Panic at Amravati Ashram School; 608 Students Flee
More than 600 students have left a government-run residential school hostel in Maharashtra's Amravati district after widespread rumours of supernatural activity and alleged "possessions" triggered panic among students and local villagers. The incident unfolded at the Government Tribal Ashram School in Doma village, located in the Chikhaldara taluka of the tribal-dominated Melghat region.
The residential facility accommodates around 810 boys and girls, of whom roughly 600 returned to their homes over several days as fear gripped the campus, reports NDTV Profit. It is reported that "ghungroo" sounds and possession claims sparked panic at the Ashram school in Amravati, leading to 608 students leaving the school hostel. Amravati: Over 100 Tribal Students Hospitalised After Food Poisoning; Kitchen Operator Booked.
Origins of the Panic at Amravati Ashram School
The scare began on July 22, when four female students started displaying unusual behaviour, including uncontrollable crying and laughing. Soon after, some students claimed to have heard the sound of anklets (ghungroo) and other mysterious noises at night. These occurrences quickly fuelled unverified claims that the hostel premises were haunted and that students were being possessed. Various local theories began circulating on campus, ranging from beliefs surrounding a mahua tree cut down on the school grounds to a nearby temple affected by drainage work and the recent death of a local tribal youth.
Experts Reject Supernatural Claims
Hostel authorities took the student complaints seriously and arranged medical examinations for the affected girls. A team of health specialists and psychiatrists evaluated the students and firmly ruled out any supernatural causes. Officials stated that the symptoms exhibited by the students were consistent with mental stress, fear, and a hysteria-like condition. To combat the spread of superstition, members of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti visited the school to counsel students and encourage a scientific outlook toward the situation. Students Lock School Gates Over Teacher’s Transfer in Maharashtra’s Amravati; Emotional Video Goes Viral.
Local leadership has also intervened to restore confidence. Amravati MP Balwant Wankhade appealed to students and their families not to panic and urged them to return to their classes. School authorities confirmed that concerted counselling efforts are underway, and several students have already started returning to the hostel.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2026 09:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).