The misfortune took place in a small village of Badi in the Indian Adhya Pradesh state: 80 cases of suicide have been recorded there since the beginning of the year. The local residents attribute the happening to a "demonic presence" in the village, but the scientists think the causes behind the suicides have to do with the excessive use of pesticides.  

In fact, Badi has reported more than 350 suicides in the last two decades, its population being around 2,500, RT reports.  

The village head blames evil spirits in all this. However, psychiatrist Dr Srikanth Reddy told Times of India the suicides are related to “depression and schizophrenic episodes among villagers, possibly due to excessive use of pesticides, apart from financial stress.” In his words, chemicals can influence the human organism, as a result of which depression and even schizophrenia can develop.  

In an attempt to prevent the death epidemics, alcoholic beverages were banned in the village, but this only resulted in the villagers running to neighboring settlements in search for spirit.

Khargone district, where Badi village is located, is included in the list of the poorest regions of India.