Three people have died as rumours of the “face-scratching” prowler continued to spread across three districts of the state, the Indian Express reported.

At least 100 people claimed to have been attacked by the “face-scratching” prowler across eastern and central Uttar Pradesh.

In July, a young man, mistaken to be the assailant, was also lynched by villagers in Sultanpur district, and there have been many reports of policemen being beaten up by panicky mobs.

The prowler has been described as a person with the face of a dog or a cat. Some reports said it is about half a metre tall and can fly. Apparently a red light flashes when it attacks and a green one when it leaves.

Unable to figure out the reason behind the mass panic, intelligence bureau officials claimed last week that the “face-scratching” prowler was an extra-terrestrial being.

Other theories range from a “chemical invasion” to “a remote-controlled device being operated by the mafia”. Villagers also talk about monsoon insects and ghosts.

Saner explanations include swarms of locust or bats.

In May 2001, New Delhi was in the grips of a similar fear and two people were killed when rumours of a “monkey man” attacking residents spread through the city. It remained unclear how the two people died.

After two weeks of panic, the rumour slowly died out and police only arrested people on charges of rumour-mongering.—dpa