Fear has emptied the classrooms of Gajeswar Government High School in Odisha's Kendrapara district following a baffling wave of sudden fainting and abnormal behavior among female students. For four consecutive days, girls in classes 9 and 10 have reportedly screamed, lost consciousness, and desperately demanded to go home during morning assemblies.
While parents, gripped by panic, suspect sorcery and are turning to occult practices to save their daughters from alleged evil spirits, medical authorities attribute the episodes to mass hysteria or psychological stress. A medical team rushed to the campus to examine the affected girls—who have since recovered—and counseled teachers on how to manage similar behavioral outbursts safely.
Despite reassurances from health officials, attendance has plummeted as terrified families keep their children home. The administration faces an urgent challenge to dispel superstitious beliefs and restore confidence so normalcy and learning can return to the school.