Rumours rule Nadiad roads

FOR residents and passers-by of Bandhani Chowkdi, Petlad, Anand, Piplaj, this is no spooky tale from an anthology of ghost stories. The Mystery of the Woman with the Wrong Feet is the chilling subject of conversation in the housing societies near the Kidney Hospital at Nadiad, at paan-gallas, chai-larries, offices, buses and trains between Ahmedabad and Nadiad.

They can identify the spots named in the story; the only missing link is the autorickshaw-driver. No one knows for certain who was involved in the incident, or where he has been admitted to hospital.

But when rumours 8212; especially such sensational ones 8212; grip the imagination of the public, few stop to poke loopholes. Naresh Dave, a resident of Mota Kumnath Road, Nadiad; Mehul Dave, an employee of the ITI; Kamlesh Nindwani of the Fire Brigade; Petlad furniture showroom-owner Bharat Patel are only a few who swear by the tale.

When rumours begin to affect public life, however, it is time to take note. And that is exactly what has happened in Petlad, where auto-rickshaws refuse to carry passengers towards Ravipura, Vatav and beyond. In the evenings, they check and double-check before they take on a passenger.