VISAKHAPATNAM: Four members of a family created panic among locals when they heard loud noises coming from a house in Azimabad area at Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam.

As per reports the loud shouting of what was believed to be from pujas done by the family in their house under locked doors spread tension among locals prompting them to call the police on Sunday night.

As per reports in the Samayam, police said that they received information about rituals being performed at the residence of a man named Abdul Majeed in Azimabad. When the night patrol cops tried to enter the house, the family threatened to slit their own throats and told them not to come in.

Abdul Majeed (46), wife Mehru (40), son Nooruddin (24), daughter Noori (20) continued to threaten cops and after trying to find their way in the police finally managed to break open the doors and entered the house and brought them out.

The four of them appeared to be in a giddy state and fainted. They were forcibly rushed to a private hospital in Gajuwaka with the help of locals. However, doctors said that they were behaving in this way due to a mental disorder. The four were later shifted to a psychiatric hospital in Visakhapatnam on the instructions of doctors.

Abdul Majeed drives an auto for a living, while his son Nooruddin drives a cab. Daughter Noori is studying for a diploma and the mother is a housewife. The family's relatives stated that they did not understand why the family resorted to this strange behaviour. Locals say that the son used to earlier suffer from mental illness and had recovered. The family were apparently struggling financial due to the pandemic induced lockdow.

CI H Malleshwara Rao said that no case has been registered against them in this regard and the four victims were shifted to a psychiatric ward for treatment.