Government villagers often found the cave underneath the nearby Gas Station populated with mischievous creatures dressed in rags, but were careful not to underestimate these “rats” because they were often armed (albeit with primitive weaponry). Mysteriously, nobody spotted these tunnel-dwellers entering the landmark, resulting in a rumour that they came out of the ground.

In some incidents there were multiple occupants of the cave, and Government soldiers would arrive to deal with them. Initially the idea was to try to throw grenades into the tunnel, but it seemed more practical to confront them with shotguns. It was eerie to check the tunnel, especially at night, not knowing what you’d find in the dark.

On one particular encounter, a villager reported hearing a curious “tsk tsk” noise from the cave. Government soldiers quickly arrived, one bravely taking the lead followed closely by his comrades, but they found nothing underground. Climbing back out of the hole, the soldiers were met with laughter – the rat was hiding nearby, perched ontop of a cabinet in the corner of the room, and had been watching the whole charade.

Categories: Investigative Journalism