Andhra Pradesh village goes under self-imposed lockdown citing ‘evil spirits’

Residents of a village in Andhra Pradesh have declared a self-imposed lockdown, fearing the presence of ‘evil forces’ in the village, at a time when several cities and villages across the country have already lifted all COVID-related restrictions and lockdowns due to a consistent drop in infection rates.

Following the strange deaths of four local individuals in less than a month, the villagers in Andhra Pradesh began to believe that their hamlet was under the influence of some demonic powers/bad omen.

During this time, all of the hamlet’s official offices were closed, and outsiders were not permitted to access the community, which was guarded by barricades. In addition, schools and Anganwadi centres were shuttered, and employees and medical personnel were not permitted to enter.

The road leading to the village remained closed, with a warning notice put outside stating that no one would be able to enter the community and that residents would not be permitted to leave their houses. In addition, the residents were spotted performing rituals to get rid of the evil powers in the village.

The occurrence has caused a stir throughout the Srikakulam district since it has raised various issues about superstitious customs and the role of the authorities. After hearing about the self-imposed lockdown, the police arrived in the village and tried to persuade the residents to abandon their views. The lockdown has since been removed, according to Srikakulam SP, and the locals have advised against closing the hamlet again in the future.

‘The local police approached the villagers and said that they have performed two days of ritual. We have counselled them for now. We went there as some rituals were being performed and upon asking they admitted that they voluntarily went out of the villages’, he said.

The incident occurred in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district, where residents of the Vennelavalasa hamlet under Sarabujjili Mandal locked themselves up for a week, claiming that the village was haunted by evil forces/bad omen. They announced that the community will be closed from April 17 to April 25.