In the hands of Hollywood, this would be a movie. Having duped villagers, officials and scientists alike, Muhnochwa it seems has jumped over UP borders into the hills of Uttaranchal. And, in the process, the insect/ET/Pak concoction has added a new, stellar dimension: a cosmic green light stretching across the dark night sky.Yesterday night, the ‘‘light’’ appeared over a large stretch in the Terai area of Kumoan, and had the same effect Muhnochwa has been leaving in UP. Many people reported a burning sensation, and more than a dozen fainted.Villagers say it was a dark night and around 8 pm, in Khatima, Sitarganj, Kichha, Kashipur, Jaspur and Haldwani in Udham Singh Nagar district, they saw a bright green, rod-like light streak across from west to east. In villages where there was a power cut, the light could be seen more clearly for 20 seconds.Arvind Bisht of Ramnijaswa village says he was sitting in his courtyard when he was ‘‘dazzled’’ by it. In village Punnapur near Khatima, two girls, Ruby and Ramita, fainted. So did Sunita, who also later reported a burning sensation on the face. Others too called in with similar complaints. Someone mentioned Muhnochwa, and then others fired into the air.As usual, scientists say they have an explanation and, as usual, it is too mundane to find an audience. Dr Ramsagar, director, State Observatory at Nainital, — which could not record the event as the sky was hazy — says it may have been a meteor, and these burn on entering the earth’s orbit. ‘It may have burnt longer and emitted a bright light,’’ he feels. On the ‘‘injuries’’ some people received, Dr Ramsagar says they may have been hit by small meteor stones, which break off and fall and are hot. A journalist at Kichha Nahid Khan told The Indian Express a small burning stone had fallen near him.
