For the past few months, Gundalapatti, Mottangurichi and other villages in and around Dharmapuri of Tamil Nadu have been wearing a deserted look after 6 pm every day. People confine themselves indoors and no one steps out after sunset for fear of a ghost attack.
As bizarre as it may sound, the villagers believe blood-sucking vampires (Ratha Kaatteri) have been attacking their cattle and could harm them as well.
For some strange reason, the cattle have been dying one after the other. The villagers have painted holy namam signs outside homes and written messages on doors asking vampires to spare them for the day.
Amused, members of Dravidar Kazhagam have announced a `1-lakh reward to anyone catching a vampire in the villages.
“It is a big hoax. Anti-socials whose illegal night activities such as bootlegging and liquor brewing have been disturbed are spreading rumours and killing cattle,” said O. Jayaraman, who announced the reward.
“Since people are not willing to believe us, we have challenged them with this reward,” he said.