A woman known only as Sajitha from Kerala, India, disappeared in 2010, when she was 18 years old, reported Newsweek. About three months ago, the mystery of her disappearance began to come to light. Sajitha had left her home and walked just 1,600 feet to the home of her neighbor, Alinchuvattil Rahman, who at the time was 24. Reportedly, the couple believed their romantic relationship was threatened by their differing religions, so Rahman settled her in a locked spare bedroom in his parents' home, where she spent the next 11 years watching a small TV using headphones.
Rahman's brother, Basheer, said Rahman was intensely secretive about the room and kept it locked at all times; his bad temper discouraged his family from asking about what was going on. "During the day, as everyone was at work, Rahman and Sajitha would have the house to themselves," Basheer said. The room had no bathroom; Sajitha would crawl out a window at night to relieve herself.
This spring, Sajitha left the home and Rahman followed shortly afterward; his family reported him missing, but Basheer soon "spotted Rahman by chance" in another village, where he and his beloved had set up their new home.
Keep your chin up
There's a new fashion accessory on the market: the Mundstuck. Made by MYL Berlin, "Mundstuck" means "mouthpiece." It fits over the bottom lip and decorates the chin, Oddity Central reported on June 7. MYL Berlin calls it "structured, chic and daring. ... It nestles perfectly on your lip without applying pressure or hindering your mobility." The stainless steel Mundstuck comes in black, gold or silver and in three designs. Prices range from $75 to $140.
A dolphin's high
A new BBC documentary has revealed that dolphins chew on and pass around puffer fish in an apparent effort to get "high." When provoked, puffer fish release a nerve toxin; large doses of it can be deadly, but small amounts can produce a narcotic effect. Dolphins, having partaken of just the right amount, appear to enter a trancelike state.
One of the producers of the series, Rob Pilley, a zoologist who also has a degree in biodiversity, said the dolphins "began acting most peculiarly, hanging around with their noses at the surface as if fascinated by their own reflection. It was the most extraordinary thing to see."
An entrepreneurial spirit
Small businesses have had to be creative in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as demonstrated by Club Pro Adult Entertainment in Toronto. The Toronto Sun reported that the shutdown nearly destroyed the strip club — until owner Teresa Marciano and her staff came up with an idea. Because local restrictions banned indoor dining but also forbade the exotic dancers from working outdoors, Marciano knew she had to come up with an alternate business. "Most of our staff and managers love golf, so we tried to marry both industries together," she said. The new venture, Stiff Shafts, turned the club's parking lot into a driving range where golfers can aim their shots at caricatures of prominent politicians. Bartenders and waitstaff provide food and drinks to customers, and the dancers serve as caddies.
Send your weird news items with subject line Weird News to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
