Andhra village in panic as mysterious stones rain on roofs nightly
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Residents of Appajipeta village in Pimdi mandal, Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, have been living in fear for over a week as heavy stones continue to fall on rooftops every night under unexplained circumstances. The incident, which began approximately one week ago, has defied all attempts by police and villagers to identify the source, sending the community into a state of panic.
What is Happening
According to locals, heavy stones begin landing on rooftops at around 10 p.m. each night, continuing at intervals of a few minutes. The pattern has repeated nightly, causing damage to asbestos roofs — the predominant roofing material in the village — and resulting in minor injuries to at least two villagers. Residents have been locking themselves indoors at sunset out of fear.
Police Deployment and Vigil Fails to Solve Mystery
After residents lodged a formal complaint, local police deployed four constables to patrol the area. Despite two consecutive nights of police patrolling, the stone-throwing did not stop. Subsequently, approximately 20 youths from the village, together with police personnel, mounted a vigil from a nearby hillock — but stones reportedly fell even as the joint watch was maintained. The inability to trace any perpetrator has deepened the mystery.
Suspected Causes: Miscreants or Paranormal?
Initially, villagers suspected the involvement of miscreants and approached authorities seeking action. However, with neither police patrolling nor community vigil yielding any leads, some residents have begun attributing the phenomenon to paranormal activity, according to local accounts. Villagers displayed the recovered stones to visiting media personnel. Authorities have not confirmed any cause as of now.
Damage and Community Impact
The repeated stone-throwing has caused physical damage to asbestos roofing across several homes. Villagers have reportedly been spending sleepless nights and have appealed to authorities to intervene decisively. The fear has effectively disrupted daily life in the village after dark.
Similar Past Incidents Reported
This is not the first time such an unexplained occurrence has been reported in the region. Similar incidents were recorded in the past from villages in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. As recently as 2024, a village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur district witnessed a nearly identical phenomenon, which similarly attracted attention before being eventually resolved. The pattern of recurrence across Telugu and Tamil-speaking regions suggests this type of mystery has precedent, though a definitive explanation has rarely been established quickly.
Authorities are expected to intensify their investigation as public anxiety in Appajipeta continues to mount.