DHULIKHEL: Bhakramdevi Secondary School of Anaikot Village Development Committee, Kavre, has been shut for four days beginning today after a large number of students started crying and fainting mysteriously during the school hours.

Jayaram Sapkota, a teacher at the school, which is about 25 kilometres away from the district headquarters, said, “We decided to close the school as some of our students suddenly fainted while others mysteriously fell sick in the class today.” Twelve students — nine girls and three boys — suddenly fell sick while they were studying in the classroom today. Most of those who fainted were students of Class V to VIII.

The teachers suspect the scorching heat was causing sickness but Dhulikhel Community Hospital said the symptoms seen in the students were of mass hysteria.