Khammam: A rumour that people, particularly men, were dying in their sleep, led to a sleepless Wednesday night for people of various places in Khammam district. The rumoured ‘reasons’ for the deaths were many — planetary effect, fast spreading illness and even an earthquake.
The rumours started spreading at around 2 am, as people started receiving calls informing them about the sudden deaths. They were warned against sleeping. Panic and anxiety spread among the people, mostly those staying in chawls and hutments. The rumours spread fast as people started calling others on their mobiles.
M. Uma, a housemaid in Vijayanagar Colony, said she and her two children stayed awake outside the house after her husband received a phone call at around 3 am. Locals in surrounding villages had also received such phone calls from their relatives. People were seen gathering in various localities early on Thursday.
Another resident, P. Aruna, too was awake, along with her children and family members. Ramu, a watchman of an apartment, said that he received a phone call from his relatives in Rajashekpet near Mahbubabad in Warangal district. Surender, a police official, said the rumour had spread among citizens in Warangal, Nalgonda and Khammam districts. “People should not believe and spread such things,” he said.
Chandrakant from Srinivasanagar said that many residents in the locality did not sleep. B. Himabindu, who stays in Mamillagudem, said he had received calls from his relatives in Warangal and Nalgonda. “I was told that people were dying in their sleep due to some planetary effect. However, I did not believe it and slept well,” she said.
