– This is straight from Ripley’s Believe it or not. The panic gripped denizens in UP with rumors of mild tremors and ‘people turning into stone statues’ floated on Tuesday night. Hundreds of people in several districts spilled on roads with fear palpable on their face. The rumor started at around 1 am on Tuesday night. Some SMS were exchanged that sleeping people have turned into stone statues and an earthquake was expected. Soon the SMS took the shape of a rumor with constant forwarding among friends and relatives. People panicked and spilled came out on the road. The numbers swelled every moment. They started calling frantically to their relatives enquiring about their well being. With every passing moment the rumor gained ground. Similar scenes were reported in several other districts as Kanpur, Unnao, Fatehpur, Gorakhpur and others. Calls were made to police control room and the staff tried to discourage the rumor but there were no takers. Amidst this in Muslim localities some of them stated that Qayamat (Doomsday) has arrived and people thronged the mosques. Muezzins also started making announcement urging everyone to come out and pray. Soon the mosques were also fully occupied. Amidst this some enterprising tea stall owners also opened their shop and their whole stock vanished in few hours. Somehow the night passed by amidst fear and apprehension. In the morning everyone was seen discussing the same thing at office. Rumors are still doing round with people worried about the night. –Two Circles