Khotang, September 12

Mass hysteria is reported to have broken out among female students at a school in Khotang. Classes at Sharada Secondary School Haunchur were adversely affected after the girls started fainting, screaming, yelling and running in an agitated manner.

Head teacher Ram Kumar Baruwal at the school said that the disease had affected students from Grade VI and above for the past month.

“This condition was seen in tenth graders Sabina Karki and Rakshya in the beginning. In recent times, as many as 25 female students have been affected,” Baruwal added.

Baruwal said that the concerned parents and guardians of the sick girls have been pressing the school management to invite a shaman as per the old custom since the number of students falling sick has been increasing.

According to the head teacher at the school, locals firmly believe that the presence of a tantric power at the school is responsible for this particular ailment.

A similar phenomena had occurred at the same school 12 years ago. Then, the mass hysteria had come under control after a few months.

Chief Ram Bahadur KC at Khotang District Hospital stressed, “Students do not have to panic. The problem will be solved through individual counselling.”

The same problem was reported by authorities from schools in Kharmi, Bijayakharka and Waksila VDCs in the past.