A deep sense of fear grips a quiet rural locality in Andhra Pradesh every time darkness settles in. Over the past week, residents of Appajipeta village, located in the Pimadi mandal of Anantapur district, have been dealing with a bizarre and frightening ordeal. Precisely as the clock strikes 10 pm each night, heavy stones begin raining down onto the roofs of residential houses. The sudden crashes shatter the nighttime quiet, sending frightened families scrambling for safety inside their homes. The most perplexing detail of the crisis is that despite heightened vigil all around, no individual has been caught in the act. The unrelenting barrage has forced villagers to lock their doors and stay shut inside as soon as dusk falls.
Police Deployment and Youth Patrols Fail to Deter Night Attacks
Alarmed by the recurring attacks, local residents lodged formal complaints, prompting authorities to take swift preventative measures. Four police constables were stationed across the village to maintain a direct watch over the area. To bolster these efforts, a squad of 20 able-bodied local youths joined the security drive. Carrying flashlights and wooden batons, the combined patrol inspected narrow lanes, village corners, and the nearby hill slopes throughout the night. Even with this intense perimeter watch, the stone pelting resumed right on schedule after 10 pm. The missiles landed on rooftops under the very noses of the watchmen, yet neither the police officers nor the volunteers could catch a glimpse of anyone casting the stones.
Shattered Asbestos Sheets, Minor Injuries, and Growing Superstition
A significant portion of the houses in Appajipeta are covered with asbestos sheets rather than concrete slabs. The force of the heavy descending stones has smashed through these brittle coverings, leaving roofs damaged and littered with debris. A few residents have sustained minor injuries from falling fragments and flying stones. The constant threat has deprived the community of sleep, leaving households exhausted and anxious. In their desperation to make sense of the invisible threat, some frightened villagers have begun speculating about paranormal occurrences or otherworldly entities behind the pelting.
Echoes of Past Unsolved Incidents in Neighboring Regions
Unexplained stone-throwing episodes of this nature are not entirely unprecedented in the wider region. Similar incidents had previously caused panic in parts of Tiruppur and surrounding pockets in Tamil Nadu, where investigators struggled to conclusively resolve the mystery. In Appajipeta, authorities and residents face the same lingering questions: whether this is the calculated mischief of elusive troublemakers or something else entirely. For now, the source of the midnight terror remains completely unidentified.
