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The Marshy Mysteries of Aleya Ghost Lights in West Bengal

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In the marshy lands in Bangladesh you can often spot the Aleya Ghost Lights in the dark, thought to be the spirits of Bengali fishermen lost in the dark depths of the water. 

Bengal’s mystique extends far beyond its vibrant culture and rich history; it delves deep into the supernatural with tales of the Aleya Ghost Lights, a phenomenon that has captivated both locals and paranormal enthusiasts alike. These ethereal lights can be found all over the world throughout time, and go under different names like will-o-the-wisp or ghost lights. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

When out in the marshes, the lights look like a flickering ball of light in the dark. They cast an enigmatic glow over the marshes of West Bengal, particularly in the vicinity of Bangladesh, and have left many entranced by their spectral dance.

The Enigmatic Aleya Ghost Lights

Aleya, also known as the “marsh ghost-light,” is a name associated with a perplexing luminous phenomenon witnessed predominantly by the Bengali community, especially the fishermen of West Bengal and Bangladesh in the bog lands, swamps and marshes. They are found in more swampy places like the Sunderbans Mangroves for example.  

These marsh lights are often attributed to the presence of marsh gas apparitions, casting a captivating yet eerie glow that hovers over the marshlands.

What are the Aleya Ghost Lights Really?

But what is the light really? There are several theories like an ionization of methane gas produced close to marshes, or some sort of geological faulting. 

In recent research, the Aleya ghost lights, also known as ignis fatuus. “Ignis fatuus” is a Latin term that translates to “foolish fire” or “will-o’-the-wisp” in English. It refers to a natural phenomenon where mysterious, flickering lights or flames appear over swamps, marshes, and other damp, marshy areas. 

These lights are often bluish or greenish in color and seem to hover or dance above the ground. Ignis fatuus is caused by the combustion of gasses, typically methane, produced by the decomposition of organic matter in wet, swampy environments. These lights have been the source of various folklore and legends, often associated with ghostly or supernatural elements.

A lot of places around the world have similar lights. Like the St. Louis Light in Saskatchewan, The Spook light in Southwestern Missouri, the Marfia lights of Texas, the Naga fireballs on the Mekong in Thailand, the Paulding Light in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Hessdalen light in Norway.

A Haunting Legacy

The Aleya lights have become an integral part of local folklore, entwined with the lives of fishermen who dwell near the marshes. According to their beliefs, these ghostly lights are the ghostly remnants of fishermen who met their untimely demise while out fishing in the marshes.

They see these lights as guiding spirits, sometimes leading them away from danger. Other times the lights have a more sinister goal where they try to lead the living fishermen to their watery graves and there are many stories that end with the dead bodies of the fishermen being washed up to shore with a strange pall to their body after having seen and followed the lights. 

In the Heart of Bengal

The marshes of West Bengal and Bangladesh come alive with the mysterious Aleya Ghost Lights, flickering and dancing, leaving behind an aura of enchantment and fear. While these lights have perplexed many, they have also led to the unfortunate demise of fishermen who dared to chase their luminous trails. 

The Aleya Ghost Lights serve as a constant reminder that the boundary between the living and the supernatural can sometimes blur, creating an enduring enigma that beckons all who dare to explore the unknown. Would you follow one if you ever saw a ghost light?  

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References:

“Aleya Ghost lights” in Sundarban Swamp-The eerie Story of India’s Most Haunted Place – Geotourism 

India’s Most Haunted: Aleya ghost lights in Bengal swamps | India.com

https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/most-haunted-places-in-west-bengal-aleya-ghost-lights-002570.html?story=4

The Eerie Story Of The Aleya Ghost Lights, The Creepy Water Creature That Drowns You In Darkness 

The Haunting Horror of Kolkata’s Putulbari – The House of Dolls

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Once an opulent warehouse, Putulbari mansion in Kolkata is today better known as The House of Dolls. Rumors of the rich and powerful murdering their servants as well as a story about a daughter’s obsession with dolls makes this one of Kolkata’s most haunted places. 

Kolkata, a city renowned for its rich history and vibrant culture, hides an eerie secret within its heart. Among the centuries-old mansions and Rajbaris that grace the city, one stands out for its haunting tales and chilling past.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Putulbari, also known as the House of Dolls, is today a heritage building and infamous for being one of the most haunted places in Kolkata, where the decaying structure tells a story of darkness and despair. Most locals know about the history and the supposed haunting in the building adjacent to the Circular Railway track on 22 Hara Chandra Mullick Lane and are said to stay away from it. Especially at night as the rumors haunting this building are pretty grim and violent.

Historic Building: The old building Putulbari along the river bank is said to be one of the city’s most haunted ones. Allegedly it was a place were they used to traffic women who are now haunting the place. Was it all true?//Image Source

The Opulent Era of Shovabazar

Once upon a time, in the heart of Kolkata’s Shovabazar, stood Putulbari, a sprawling mansion belonging to one of the wealthy families that thrived during the British colonial era. Shovabazar, nestled along the banks of the Hooghly River, was a hub of trade and commerce like spices and silk, fueling the rapid ascent of Bengali aristocrats. 

Their immense wealth and power made these Rajbaris symbols of opulence and grandeur. Still to this day, you can sense the power of the rajbaris, although perhaps not as much as a century ago.

It is said that Putul Bari was used as some kind of warehouse by the river bank ready to ship to the world. However, many of the legends claim it was something more, perhaps even a home for the rich Bengali Babus.

The Sinister Past of Putulbari

However, beneath the surface of grandeur and prosperity lay sinister stories of exploitation, abuse, and inhumane treatment of especially women by the rich and powerful. The mansion owners, often taking advantage of the local women working in their homes and warehouses, subjected them to sexual assaults and torture. 

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To silence these victims, many were allegedly tragically murdered and buried within the confines of the property. Such incidents became alarmingly common, hidden behind the façade of grandeur. All of this is rumored to have taken place inside the walls of Putul Bari.

It is also said that the rich aristocrats came to see a performance by Baiji’s. One night there was a dance performance and one of the dancers was murdered in the building. After this she came back to haunt it and is still seen dancing on the terrace under the full moon nights.

The Doll Obsession

The owner of the mansion’s daughter was known for her peculiar obsession with dolls and filled the house with it. Her collection grew to become one of the largest and creepiest doll collections in the mansion. An eerie statue of dolls adorning the building’s exterior is a haunting reminder of her obsession. 

The sinister aura surrounding Putulbari took a horrifying turn when the doll-obsessed daughter met a tragic end due to a freak accident although details of it are not known. After her demise, the mansion became the focal point of inexplicable and terrifying events. 

Some say that the daughter started to haunt the building, through her dolls as well as throughout the rest of the house. And together with the rest of the girls allegedly buried there, their souls seem to linger there still.

Paranormal Encounters of the Building

People living in this ill-fated mansion shared spine-tingling stories of their encounters of the supernatural kind. They spoke of unearthly cries resonating through the night, apparitions of girls dancing on the mansion’s terrace, and a pervasive feeling of unease that lingered in the building’s every corner. Strangely, some dolls from the past still inhabit the mansion, covered in layers of dust and decay. Some believe that these dolls come to life, although the truth behind these claims remains shrouded in mystery.

There is also the case of the many women that were allegedly murdered that are said to haunt the place as well. And the voices of women screaming are heard by the locals coming from the old building. 

Kolkata’s Putulbari – the House of Dolls

Kolkata’s Putulbari is more than just an abandoned mansion; it is a repository of horrors and secrets from a bygone era. Even though the tenants in late years have put up signs that say “this place has no ghosts” to deter paranormal seekers, they still flock to this place to try to have a look for themselves after hearing the stories.

The landlord when the building was used as some sort of knitting factory claims that someone made up all the stories online, and they have been bothered by unwanted guests looking for ghosts ever since.

So how much of the horror stories behind Putulbari and the House of Dolls are true? The tragic tales of exploitation, the eerie obsession with dolls, and the unexplained encounters have turned this once opulent mansion into a place of terror. 

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References:

Putul Bari: The Ghastly Tales From The Past Dog The House Of Dolls In Kolkata – NRI Vision 

Kolkata’s Putulbari House of Dolls is more like house of terror | Times of India Travel 

Putul Bari – The Case of the Missing Ghost – Indian Vagabond

Kolkata Has A Haunted House Of Dolls That Will Give You Chills Down The Spine 

The Ghost Walking the Morgan House Tourist Lodge

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The sound of ghostly clicking of heels is said to roam the Morgan House in Kalimpong in India. It is said that it is the ghost of the wife that died prematurely under mysterious circumstances. 

Amidst the serene Durpindara Hill of Kalimpong, the Morgan House Tourist Lodge stands as an enchanting old British residence, shrouded in history, charm, and a whisper of the supernatural with a view of the Kangchenjunga mountain range. 

Built in the 1930s in the border town in West-Bengal, this beautiful property was once the cherished abode of an Englishman in the jute trade, George Morgan and his wife who owned an indigo plantation. Her name is not easily found and not mentioned. The Morgan House Tourist Lodge was built for their wedding and marital happy life. But if their marriage in fact were happy has been up for debate. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Back in the days, The Morgan House Tourist Lodge used to be known for its elaborate parties and celebrity guests, and now it is known as a haunted hotel. 

The Morgan House: Source

The Haunted History of Morgan House

The Morgan House Tourist Lodge has also been known as Singamari Tourist Lodge or Durpin Tourist Lodge. It’s a living relic of the British colonial era. Its architecture and ambiance transport visitors back to a time when the British Empire left an indelible mark on the Indian subcontinent of a bygone era.

Read more: Check out all of the Haunted Hotels around the world

After the wife died a premature death, Mr. Morgan left their home soon after and the mansion was left deserted as no one from the Morgan family wanted to live in it as they had no direct heirs, only trustees. In the end it was handed to the Indian government after independence and the Bengal Tourism Board decided to start a hotel in the old mansion. 

The Legend of Lady Morgan’s Ghost

Visitors and guests who have ventured to stay within The Morgan House Tourist Lodge have, on occasion, experienced encounters like the sound of laughter, weeping or even singing and screaming inside the hotel. As per local legends, Lady Morgan’s spirit lingers within the walls of this old British house, walking the corridors in a timeless search for solace or an unfinished business.

It is said that Mrs Morgan died suddenly in the Morgan House and perhaps for a dark reason. Perhaps it was by suicide by hanging herself in room 101 as most reports about the hotel clams, and the most extreme legends claim that she was tortured to death by her husband, or at least drove her to suicide in the mansion. 

The ghostly apparition of Lady Morgan, as the stories go, makes her presence known in the Morgan House through mysterious footsteps echoing across the wooden floors of the lodge. She is seen floating up to the second floor where she allegedly died. 

Those who have listened closely claim that the footsteps distinctly sound like someone walking in high-heels.

The Ghost of from Landslide

There is a second theory about the haunting, and that is the buried bodies under the Morgan House. Apparently there was a massive landslide at the hill before the mansion was built. The dead people were caught under it and they were unable to dig them out. Instead the mansion was built on top of them. 

Some of the guests that have stayed at Morgan House, brought up their concerns about the ghosts lingering there. Some of them have been handed a bible to carry around with them for help.

An Enduring Enigma of The Morgan House Tourist Lodge

The Morgan House Tourist Lodge in Kalimpong continues to be a place of intrigue and fascination for travelers. And as of now, their old bedroom and most talked about room of 101 where Mrs Morgan allegedly hanged herself is one of the more popular rooms at the hotel.  

The question of whether Lady Morgan’s spirit truly lingers here or if the sounds are a product of the imagination to the guests remains unanswered. Yet, it is the allure of the unexplained that draws curious souls to this historic hill station retreat.

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References:

No Bag Can Weigh Extra By Even 100g Over Limit At Bengaluru Airport; Why Such Strict Measures? 

Haunted places in Kalimpong | Times of India Travel 

Morgan House – My Haunted Night – BikingMystery 

Morgan House- History Of The Most Haunted Hotel In Kalimpong! 

Mysterious Morgan House in Kalimpong – Travel Blog Indian Backpacker 

Morgan House, Kalimpong – Wikipedia 

Morgan house is the latest spooky joint giving rise to haunted tourism 

Morgan House Kalimpong revisited in mystic monsoon – Good Food Bro 

Uncovering the Haunted History of Kolkata’s Writers’ Building

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Once a symbol of the oppressive British regime in India, the administrative Writers’ Building was the target of a bloody rebel attack said to echo hauntingly long after India’s independence. 

Kolkata’s Writers’ Building (মহাকরণ) is a beautiful colonial-era structure that has been the center of power and politics in West Bengal for over 200 years. The red stoned Writers’ Building is a 150 meter long building right by the Lal Dighi and Tank Square. 

The building often shortened to just Writers was for the East India Company to house the junior level servants who were then called ‘Writers’ and because of this the building got its name.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

But beyond its grand facade lies a dark and eerie history, one that has left many visitors spooked and intrigued. You see, the Writer’s Building is said to be haunted by the spirits of British colonial officers and Indian freedom fighters who perished within its walls. 

The History of the Writers’ Building

The Writer’s Building, located in the heart of Kolkata, was originally built as the office of the East India Company in the late 18th century. It was later occupied by the British colonial government, and during the Indian independence movement, it became a symbol of British power and oppression for the local Indians. 

The building has seen many significant events, including the assassination of Sir William Hay Macnaghten, the British envoy to Afghanistan, in 1841. It was also the site of several historic protests and rallies during the Indian freedom struggle, including the Quit India Movement.

Therefore the Writers Building has a reputation of being haunted by both unhappy scribes that worked there as well as people that died during the fight for independence.

Writer’s Building: An iconic building in Kolkata and also thought to be one of the more haunted places in the city. //Source: Jan Bockaert/Wiki

The Shooting in Writers’ Building

On December 8, 1930, Badal Gupta, together with Dinesh Gupta and Benoy Basu was on a mission from the underground revolutionary group Bengal Volunteers against the British rule of India.

Disguised in European attire, infiltrated the Writers’ Building with loaded revolvers and fatally shot Simpson, a police inspector known for treating the Indian and political prisoners horrible. 

In response, the police within the building engaged in a brief exchange of gunfire with the three young revolutionaries. The police eventually subdued them, but the trio had no intention of being apprehended. Badal ingested Potassium cyanide, while Benoy and Dinesh used their own revolvers to take their lives. 

Badal succumbed on the spot, at just 18 years old during this tragic incident. Benoy survived before dying five days later in the hospital. Dinesh lived only to be hanged the next year.

The trio have later been known as freedom fighters and the Dalhousie Square is named after them with a statue of them outside of the Writers Building. 

Haunted Stories Associated with the Building

Bengalis have at least 15 words for ghosts based on the spirit’s caste, marital status, behavior and the fate suffered in the pre-paranormal past. Most of the ghost stories are told from security that are patrolling the building when it’s empty. They say they hear rattling windows when there is no wind, or the sound of typing from machines from locked and empty rooms. 

These disturbances have become so disconcerting that none of the security staff will venture there alone at night.

Ever since its attack, it is also believed that the brutal police man, Simpson and possibly the trio that shot him are haunting the building. 

The Wounded Ghost

During the 1970s a night guard named Munshiram told about his ghostly experiences in a Calcutta newspaper. He said that while patrolling the first-floor corridor of the first block, he encountered a ghostly white man, dressed in a suit and appearing gravely injured, bending over in agony. 

This spectral figure emerged from the Central Despatch Office and was followed by several shadowy entities. Simultaneously, Munshiram heard the haunting sound of heavy boots ascending the staircase. Frightened, he called out to the sentry on block one before fainting.

The Ghost Party

In Munshiram’s recollection, the entire first floor was inhabited by several resident spirits, including another harrowing experience in block three. While on duty in the block’s secured area, he noticed a neon light illuminating a minister’s chamber and distinctly heard music. 

Believing an emergency meeting was underway, he entered the room and witnessed men in old fashioned attire engaged in what appeared to be a drunken party. Munshiram’s screams summoned police personnel, but by the time they arrived, the room had reverted to darkness and emptiness.

The Ghost of the Housekeeper

It is also said that a Zamiruddin, that is the head of housekeeping at Writer once saw an armed security guard outside of the toilet in block five. Allegedly where a worker had died of a heart attack. 

Another tale from the 70s is from the security guard called Mehboob that was working on the first floor of block four that heard the sound of something falling and when rushing out in the corridor, he found a body dressed in an expensive suit laying there. However, when he called over other people working that night, there was nothing to see except an empty room. 

Also when a bust of the three freedom fighters were going to be installed on the first floor in 1967, a man called Roy saw an European man come out from the Chief Minister’s office. Thinking it was someone trying to ruin the event held in their honor, he followed the man who just vanished into thin air. 

The Haunted Writers’ Building

The Writer’s Building is a beautiful and historic structure that has been at the center of power and politics in West Bengal for over 200 years. But beyond its grand facade lies a dark and eerie history, one that has left many visitors spooked and intrigued.

Over the years, the Writer’s Building has undergone many renovations and upgrades, but it has managed to retain its colonial charm and grandeur. Today, it houses the offices of the West Bengal government, and its corridors and rooms are filled with the hustle and bustle of bureaucrats and politicians. But despite its modern-day importance, the building’s haunted history continues to fascinate and terrify visitors.

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References:

Colonial conundrums and spirited sojourns – The Statesman 

Kolkata is fertile ground for Indian ghost stories – Los Angeles Times 

Writer’s Building, Kolkata: Origin and interesting facts 

Badal Gupta – Wikipedia 

Hauntings and history blend at Writers’ Building 

Writers’ Building – Wikipedia 

Hauntings and history blend at Writers’ Building 

Writer’s Building, Kolkata: Origin and interesting facts

The Drowned Ghosts Under Howrah Bridge in Kolkata

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The Howrah Bridge is a city icon in Kolkata, but it is also said the area is haunted by those dying from falling from it as well as drowning in the river below. And on the steps of the ghats along the river, people claim to have seen the ghosts.

The Howrah Bridge, an architectural marvel spanning the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India, stands as a timeless symbol of Kolkata’s rich heritage. Commissioned in 1943 to replace a pontoon bridge, it was renamed Rabindra Setu in honor of the renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore in 1965, though it’s still commonly known as the Howrah Bridge. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

This iconic structure in the city of joy, one of four bridges on the Hooghly River, serves as a vital link between the cities of Howrah and Kolkata, bearing witness to the ebb and flow of daily life in the bustling metropolis were people sit under to relax after a day at work at the ghat steps under the bridge

The Kusti Wrestlers Tell about Ghosts

Underneath The Howrah Bridge there are also wrestlers training  in the three thousand year old tradition of Kusti. Their Kusti akhara, where they practice, is found on a clay pit by the bridge. The dedicated wrestler comes to practice at 4:30 with prayers and exercises as it is not only a sport, but a lifestyle.

These wrestlers have stories to tell as well about the haunting allegedly going on, both under The Howrah Bridge as well as by the different ghats along the river like by the Mullick Ghat and the Zanana Ghat. 

Although a place to relax and enjoy the steady stream of the river popularly called Ganga or Kati-Ganga, the area under The Howrah Bridge is also thought to be haunted by the spirits of the people that lost their lives on the river. Some by accidents, some willing, perhaps even some unwillingly? 

The Howrah Bridge of the Drowned

Some people claim to have witnessed phantom arms reaching out from the dark waters under the bridge as if asking for help, still trying to get out from the river they drowned in. 

There are also stories passed around in the area about seeing a crying woman wearing white robes as she sobs by the river bank. It is said that those approaching the woman, trying to help her or the ghostly arm out of the water, become traumatized or perhaps worse, drown themselves.

Those wandering around the bridge and along the river below also claim to have heard the voices of women crying out and calling out their names in a ghostly tone, although no one is there. 

The Haunted Ghats Along the River

As twilight descends and the cityscape fades into darkness, the bridge’s silent sentinel watches over the Hooghly River, its towering silhouette casting long shadows upon the water below.

Where the Kusti Wrestlers have been training for a long time and where the ghosts keep haunting the river banks under The Howrah Bridge, silently raising their hands just above the dark waters. 

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References:

Featured Image: Tubaisam21/Wiki

Kusti by the Hooghly | Traditional Indian Wrestling in Kolkata – Ron Mayhew 

11 Haunted Places In Kolkata That You Should Not Visit Alone 

10 haunted places in Kolkata you MUST visit to see what a horror movie really looks like 

Top 12 Haunted Places in Kolkata That You Can Explore in 2024

The Haunted Begunkodor Train Station Reopened after being Closed for Decades

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After a rumor about seeing the ghost of a woman wearing a white sari by the rural Begunkodor Train Station, it closed down for decades. Now after it’s opened, the story of the ghost has returned. What exactly is happening by the tracks?

Far from most things in the remote village of Begunkodor in West Bengal lies a railway station shrouded in mystery that spans decades and supposedly haunted by a spectral presence that continues to send shivers down the spines of those who dare to venture near. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Built in the early 1960s but closed down pretty quickly because of the haunted rumors, Begunkodor Train Station serves the Purulia district and has since its reopening been seen as one of the most haunted railway stations in India. 

The Lady in White Saree

Legend has it that Begunkodor Train Station is haunted by the ghost of a lady draped in a white saree—a tragic figure whose spirit wanders the platforms and tracks, forever trapped in a spectral dance of sorrow and despair. 

This story was told by a railway employee working as the station master to the villagers of Begunkodor in 1967, the year they decided to close down the Begunkodor Train Station. After he told about his sightings, he was ignored and nothing was down. Allegedly his first hand account was published, but he wouldn’t survive to tell if for much longer. 

According to local lore, the woman in a white sari has many origin stories. Some claim she is a witch with horrible powers, while other says she is the ghost of a lady who met her untimely demise when she was tragically run over by a train at the station, her life snuffed out in a moment of unspeakable horror. 

Either way, it is said that this very specter holds the power to seriously harm people, perhaps even take their life. 

The Death of the Station Master

Because just seeing the spectral presence of the lady in white is not the only source of terror at Begunkodor Train Station. It is said that the sight of the ghostly apparition led to the death of a railway employee. 

The same year the Station Master tried to warn the villagers about the ghost, the dead bodies of him as well as his family were found in their home. The locals finally took his warning to heard and blamed it all on the ghost or possible witch that were haunting the Begunkodor Train Station. 

After all this controversy and rumors, they closed down the station when the trains passing refused to stop because of the paranormal stuff they claimed they experienced on this platform. 

The Reopened Begunkodor Train Station

Since that fateful day, reports have surfaced of eerie sightings and inexplicable phenomena occurring at Begunkodor Train Station. Witnesses claim to have seen the ghostly apparition of the lady in white, her ethereal form gliding silently along the tracks or twirling in a macabre dance upon the platforms. Some even swear that her mournful wails can be heard echoing through the night, a chilling reminder of the tragedy that befell her.

Despite these chilling reports, the government dismissed the claims of paranormal activity and decided to reopen Begunkodor Station in 2009, after it had lain deserted for 42 years. Some claim that the staff made up the ghost stories to not be stationed there. 

Some even claim that the locals made up the ghost story to get a boost of “ghost tourism”. Perhaps worst is that this particular rationalist group called Paschim Banga Bigyan Mancha, said that the locals then loot the tourists after they scare them away. 

The way that they called it busting the myth about the station being haunted is that they camped out there in 2017 and they saw a group of men in the bushes making the sounds. Although they didn’t manage to catch them, they reckon they were behind the rumors. 

What about the station master and his family’s mysterious death at Begunkodor Train Station? Did it really happen, or was that also a part of the legend created to scare people? For now, no evidence supporting that their death actually happened like they claim. 

Yet, despite the government’s assurances, the whispers of the supernatural persist, casting a pall of fear and unease over the station and its surroundings. People still avoid using this station after sunset and twice a week, it is said that a girl is seen running along the tracks on the same day she died. 

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References:

Begunkodor Railway Station has been reopened more than a decade ago & a few trains stop there – FACTLY 

Myth of West Bengal’s ‘haunted’ Begunkodar railway station busted after 50 years 

Begunkodor Railway Station: West Bengal’s ‘Ghost’ Railway Station That Was Closed For Four Decades 

West Bengal’s Begunkodor no longer a haunted railway station – The Hindu