I found this on the Pune Times.. this is just funny..

PUNE: It was a sleepless Wednesday night for many citizens in the Pimpri-Chinchwad township and some Pune suburbs, following a rumour that people were dying in their sleep. The ‘reasons’ for the rumoured deaths were many – planetary effect, fast spreading illness and earthquake.

The rumours started spreading around 2 am on Thursday, as people started receiving calls on their phones informing them about the sudden deaths and warning them not to sleep.

Panic and anxiety spread among the people, mostly staying in chawls and hutments. The rumours spread fast as people started calling others on their mobiles.

Sunita Kamble, a resident of Sangvi, said she and her two children stayed awake outside the house after her husband received a phone call around 4 am, saying that people were dying in their sleep.

Another resident Tarabai Janrao too was awake, along with her children and family members, since early morning. Nanda Adhav of Kothrud also said she had heard about the panic that had spread in the locality.

The Pimpri police confirmed that a rumour had spread among the citizens. The rumour also caused anxiety among parents and in some institutions. “We received three- four calls in the morning from some students, a college and a bank employee asking whether the situation is normal and whether people can travel,” the duty officer at Pimpri police station said.

Chandrakant Shendkar of Balajinagar in Katraj told TOI that many residents in the locality did not sleep in the wee hours.

Chetan Chavale, who stays at the hospital quarters near Aundh, said he had received two calls from his relatives staying in Barshi and Tuljapur. “I was told that people were dying in their sleep due to some planetary effect. However, I did not believe it and had a good sleep,” he said.

Sukhdev Bachute of Sangvi said that although he did not believe in the rumour, children were the most sufferers as they were made to stay awake by their parents.

This is the second such rumour that has spread among people since Saturday, when Rakshabandhan was celebrated. As there was a lunar eclipse on Saturday, a rumour had spread among a section of females that if the rakhi was tied then the brother would die. Despite the rumours, the festival was celebrated with much fervour and gaiety.

I am sure most of you are aware of the case, where the Mehta’s decided to approach the high court to allow them to abort their child/ fetus of 26 weeks old on the grounds that the unborn child has been diagnosed with heart complications. Yesterday, the Bombay high court rejected their plea on the grounds that they were not sure that the child could suffer from heart complications. Now, I am no one to comment on this case, but I feel that if such a situation has been diagnosed before the birth of the child, it is best to abort. Just today while returning from the gym, I saw a mentally challenged kid/ young man walking with his grandfather. This person could not even speak or walk properly. All the time while stumbling/ walking, he kept making a peculiar sound. After seeing him, my heart just felt for his parents and grandparents. I don’t know this kid, but even then I was feeling sad for him.. I wonder how sad is family would feel for him. I hope/ know they love him unconditionally, but at the same time I know they must be bleeding a thousand hearts when they see him struggle/ suffer. I guess this is life.. but a person should have the freedom to abort in such cases. What is the use of bringing life to earth when we know he/ she is going to suffer??