Somehow these events have slipped by the UFO fans and websites...
During the summer of 2002, people in the Lucknow area of the province of Uttar Pradesh experienced a wave of panic that made national headlines.
Strange lights in the night sky coincided with reports of people being attacked in their homes and on the streets by something that left burns and
scratches. The resulting claims and explanations for the events make interesting reading...
Uttar Pradesh is in the north of India and the events occurred in a radius of 50 miles of Lucknow. Military, police and scientists offered
explanations that included ball lightning, Pakistani terrorism, insects and mass hysteria. The popular press ran stories of UFO claims, deaths and
people being injured in the panic.
The phenomena was dubbed 'Muhnochwa'...the 'Face-Scratcher/ Scorcher.'
To begin with, reports began to circulate of UFOs. Flashing blue and green lights were seen in the night skies. The reports were word-of-mouth and
soon gained the attention of the local press. Initially, the reports only included unusual activity of these lights. Shortly after the accounts
developed a closer, human element as people claimed to have been approached by solitary red, blue and/or green lights and to have then been injured.
The claimed injuries ranged from scratches to electric burns to deep wounds.
SHANWA, India (AP) -- It comes in the night, a flying sphere emitting red and blue lights that attacks villagers in this poor region,
extensively burning those victims it does not kill. At least that's what panic-stricken villagers say. At least seven people have died of
unexplained injuries in the past week in Uttar Pradesh state. "A mysterious flying object attacked him in the night," Raghuraj Pal said of his
neighbor, Ramji Pal, who died recently in Shanwa. "His stomach was ripped open. He died two days later." Many others have suffered scratches and
surface wounds, which they say were inflicted while they slept. In the village of Darra, 53-year-old Kalawati said she was attacked last week and
displayed blisters on her blackened forearms. "It was like a big soccer ball with sparkling lights," said Kalawati, who uses only one name. "It
burned my skin."
Indian
villagers blame UFO for attacks, but police blame insects
In one incident, deepening panic caused police to open fire on a crowd that had turned hostile. People felt unsafe and blamed authorities for not
being seen to deal with the problem. Two people died from police gunfire. Others claimed to have been attacked by the Muhnochwa, but were found to
have self-inflicted wounds.
At this point, events become fascinating. An 'A-Team' of experts were gathered and sent to the area to investigate. They interviewed people and did
all the standard activities we'd expect them to do. They followed the same format as the investigators at
Colares 1977and the
Skinwalker
Ranch . Then they did something that I find extraordinary. They designed a 'bait trap' based on the descriptions of this alleged flying,
illuminated object...and it worked!
A base of a mixer grinder was fitted with lights of the colours that the victims had narrated before the team varying from orange, yellow,
green to the most common red and blue combination. The apparatus was put at a height in total darkness. The idea behind the exercise was that the
extra-terrestrial body may take note of something resembling it and might come near it. And it did. At 1:05 am a flash of light neared the apparatus.
"It was like the photocopier top plate with that sharp light while taking impressions," revealed a member of the team while drawing a parallel. The
team, comprising forensic experts, serologists, medico-legal experts, electronic engineers and physicists equipped with night vision devices, zero
light video cameras and telescopes apart from other gadgetry, was witness to the "light" which was seen thrice. It descended close to the handmade
muhnochwa and then disappeared. The video clipping has a flash of light running across the screen but nothing more.
Extra-terrestrials invade UP, says IB
Explanations were abundant. The local Police chief considered the muhnochwa to be a hybrid insect/robot sent by Pakistan to spy and seed unrest.
Others believed that the injuries were caused by the seasonal activities of a grasshopper. Ball lightning theories were also suggested...
According to Prof Arora, a specialist in high-voltage electricity, "dry spells increase the soil resistance while decreasing it conductivity,
and in the process attract lightning balls that emit different colour lights -- mostly blue, green, yellow or red." He told rediff.com, "I have
sufficient reason to believe that the burn injuries on the faces of victims were caused by nothing other than these lighting balls, which range from
the size of a tennis ball to a football." "The phenomena of lightning balls is older than the life on earth and there was constant evidence of
these balls over the ages... while reports on it were received from different parts of USA and Europe, the highest frequency was reported from New
Zealand."
IIT scientist solves mystery behind 'UFO'
Some of these descriptions remind me of Corales 1977 (
ATS Thread-Hostile UFO Encounters:
Colares, 1977 )....UFOs and flying gadgets causing wounds to people from poor areas. The population of Corales were from a similar
demographic...low literacy, poor education and widespread poverty. The events could be an example of widespread hysteria. What I find most interesting
is the 'bait trap' and apparent video footage they recorded. It was a genius idea in the sense it hadn't been done before, as far as I know. That
it allegedly drew a response that was recorded (three times) is fascinating.
As ever, I think this is worth an ATS discussion. I've no conclusion about it all.
Links to all sources and further reading...
Physics Forums: UfO Attacks-7 Dead-India
Indian
villagers blame UFO for attacks, but police blame insects
Muhnochwa only a scare, says IIT team
Rense:India's 'Face-Scratching' UFO
Continues To Sow Terror
MUHNOCHWA STRIKES AGAIN IN INDIA
[edit on 6-2-2010 by Kandinsky]
[edit on 6-2-2010 by Kandinsky]
