Patna, Oct 1 (IANS): Rumours in Bihar always spread like wildfire whether it comes to shortage of salt or cutting off boys' ponytail incidents. The latest rumour is related to the Jeutiya festival wherein if children (male) would not eat Parle-G biscuits on Jeutiya, they could face untoward incidents in future.

The Jeutiya festival is celebrated in Bihar every year where mothers fast for 24 hours for a long, healthy and prosperous life of their kids.

Har Kishore Rai, the SP of Sitamarhi, confirmed the rumours.

"There were rumours in some places of the district about Parle-G biscuits on Thursday. People were seen in long queues outside the shops. It was not seen on Friday. How the rumours spread in the district is yet to be ascertained," Rai said.

Following the rumours, people turned out in large numbers outside the grocery shops, paan shops and any other shops having stocks to purchase at least one packet of Parle-G biscuits.

As a result, the stocks of Parle-G flew off the shelves quickly. Many of the shopowners were allegedly involved in black marketing. A Rs 5 packet of Parle-G biscuits was sold for Rs 50 in Sitamarhi district. The rumours basically spread in rural areas like Bargania, Dheh, Naanpur, Bajpatti, Mejarganj and some other blocks of the district.

Sources however said that the rumours spread to four other adjoining districts where people desperately tried to purchase the biscuits on Friday.