The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Rumours fuel `mystery' fire

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 15, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Rumours fuel `mystery' fire

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, DEC. 14. Munipalle village in the Byreddipalle mandal, 75 kms from here looks like a village on fire. No one knows why and how the fire erupts. It is said that nearly a dozen huts went up in flames and were reduced to cinders by the mysterious fire that broke-out on three days since December 7, rendering their inmates homeless. Among the huts gutted was the village's noon-meal scheme centre in the school compound.

Black-magic

The village sarpanch, Suryanrayana Reddy suspect the handiwork of a sorcerer who reportedly left the village in a huff on not being treated properly. The sarpanch "imported" another sorcerer from Karnataka and got certain rituals performed to neutralise the evil effect and ward off the `evil spirits' which the villagers suspect was behind the mysterious eruptions.

Fire tenders in waiting

The MRO and a police officer are camping in the village and a fire-tender has also been kept in place . The policemen however dismissed the `sorcerer story' and suspect some miscreants' hand. Some presumed that the miscreants were using phosphorus, a self-igniting chemical. But authorities prefer to rule this out since the weather has been too cool in these parts to make the chemical go aflame.

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Andhra Pradesh