Nayagarh: The myth of King Midas golden touch is well known. But in Odisha's Nayagarh, a myth doing rounds is a Class VII boy has developed a touch of the other kind - whatever objects he touches they get smeared with human excreta.
The situation has turned so worrying that the minor boy was abandoned at a temple in Diha village under Daspalla block of Nayagarh district by his own parents.
Villagers say whoever or whatever the kid touches get smeared with human excreta. Be it clothes, books or anything, faecal marks spread over it, they said.
"Believing it as witchcraft or black magic, we counselled many sorcerers but to no avail. Later, we were compelled to leave him in a village temple," family members said.
"Initially, we saw some clothes in our house getting smeared with human excreta. Later, whoever touched him have had excreta marks on their bodies. It stopped for some days, post counselling a black magician. However, it resurfaced again," said the minor's father.
"Human faeces surface on his body from nowhere and stinks. After getting treatment from many quacks, when nothing worked he was left in the temple," said Gobinda Pradhan.
However, rationalists see red. "In Science, this is called a poltergeist phenomenon. The kid should be taken to the psychologist for counselling. But only a detailed investigation will reveal the exact truth behind the incident," said Debendra Sutar, rationalist.