AN eye hospital in Tamil Nadu, India, was swamped by nearly 500 people seeking treatment after a rumour spread that those who attended a religious festival might get eye damage due to tainted vibuthi (holy ash), Tamil dailies reported. Some devotees who accidentally got some of the ashes into their eyes complained of eye irritation. Some began speculating that the problem was caused by chemicals used to make the ashes smell good and look whiter and brighter. The hospital management quickly helped to send the affected devotees to a nearby hospital to avoid mass panic. These devotees were cleared of any problems and sent home with eye drops.

Source: The Star June 01, 2018 23:26 UTC