The scare of ghosts is haunting 345 Class V students of Degri Girls High School in Domjur, Howrah. On Saturday, the school authorities were forced to suspend classes for the day after terror-struck students claimed seeing poltergeist activity.

Just before classes began, a rumour spread among Class V students that many of their classmates were witnessing scary sights.

“I suddenly saw the duster and chalks floating in the air, right in front of me,” said Poulami Surat. Many students claimed that they saw a nearby tree “on fire” — although none of the leaves were burnt. Others saw smoke billowing from the tree trunk. And yet others were terrified by scary noises that seemed to come nowhere. Soon, every child started having some ‘ghostly experience’or other.

Panic spread within minutes and the students ran out of classroom in fear. Teachers rushed in to assure them that nothing had happened, but the terror-struck students refused to believe. None of them would go back to the classroom. So, classes had to be suspended for the day.

“A month ago, one of their classmates, Priyanka Khara, died after a sudden illness. Since then, an unknown fear has crept in among the students. On Saturday, when they ran out in terror, we decided to take no risks. The guardians were called and classes were suspended,” said headmistress Somdatta Sarkar. Classes were held as usual in the other classes.