Possessed’ kids in Gujarat school: Not a shamanic trance, says official

On September 9, 11 children at Narmada Ashramshala, a residential school for tribal students in Gujarat, began to exhibit unusual behavior, shaking and moving oddly. This event, witnessed by staff and leading to a rush of concerns, was initially attributed to supernatural causes and discussions about the children being "possessed" by a local figure known as "Hanuman Dada."

However, district health authorities have dismissed such claims, stating that all medical examinations and psychological assessments conducted on the children found them to be healthy and free of any physical illnesses or food poisoning. The children's behavior, according to District Health Officer Janak Madhak, may have been due to them trying to imitate something they had seen or witnessed, a common behavior among children in group settings.

Assistant teacher Kalpana Vasava recounted the incident, noting how one girl returned from drinking water and began shaking before several others followed suit, leading to a wave of alarm at the school. Teachers and villagers quickly called for medical help, and the children were rushed to local health facilities before being examined at Rajpipla Civil Hospital.

Despite the initial panic, doctors and psychiatrists found the children to be cooperative and in good mental health, with no signs of any supernatural or toxic causes. The school and its authorities have since appealed to the community to refrain from spreading misinformation about the incident.