They ain’t afraid of no ghosts

Dubai’s amateur ghostbusting team, from left, Lubna Jimmy, from Denmark, Blundelle D’Souza and Anjali Sharma, from India, Qadeer Ahmed and Shumail Awan, from Pakistan. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

DUBAI // It is Halloween on Friday evening and should you hear bumps in the night or see an ethereal figure at the end of your bed, there is a group you should call.

The Emirates Ghost Investigators Group is made up of like-minded enthusiasts dedicated to tracking down and researching all unworldly phenomena.

It was founded about a 18 months ago on the Meetup website by Qadeer Ahmed, 37, a Pakistani living in Dubai, a keen horror movie fan.

Now the group has about 100 members who spend their time visiting haunted places to document any paranormal activity.

Mr Ahmed said he is very selective about who can join. Only those he believes are gifted in communicating with spirits are welcome.

“I selected the special people who have extra powers,” said Mr Ahmed.

One of these was Lubna Jimmy, a 36 year old from Denmark who lives in Dubai.

She said her communication with the paranormal began when she was eight.

She was alone in her bedroom praying when suddenly the room’s light flickered off and her bedroom door swung shut.

Another is Anjali Sharma, a 36-year-old Indian who said she has been hearing voices and seeing ghosts ever since she was five.

“I have even consulted a doctor,” said Ms Sharma. “My mum always complains ‘Whenever you’re coming to visit things are moving around, things are happening and door is knocking and shaking’.”

Mr Ahmed said: “Lubna has an ability to sense and feel the things around her. Anjali has the power to see them. She can feel them, can see them, can speak to them.”

Mr Ahmed admitted his only special power is curiosity, plus an arsenal of recording equipment, cameras and sensors.

“We try to analyse and research and tell the people these things are real,” said Mr Ahmed. “So many people don’t believe in these things. Or maybe they don’t want to believe in these things.”

Mr Ahmed said the group received about 12 emails a day from people reporting hauntings in homes and buildings.

“They send us messages to come an investigate their place. We don’t charge anyone because we are still amateur and we don’t have a commercial licence. We just go out of interest,” said Mr Ahmed.

“We just want to go and try to find a solution and if we can help them.”

The group recently visited a home in Ras Al Khaimah where the residents – a family of four – were forced to move out because of what they thought was poltergeist activity.

He said one family member had suffered bruises on her body, then saw ghost of headless person standing in the corridor.

The investigators intend to return to the property, which they call the house of the white lady, to continue their research.

“If those things are disturbing more and more, we ask the residents to seek a priest or a mullah or a maharaja to come and bless their house.

“This might help. We don’t ask them to leave their house. We don’t try to scare people,” said Mr Ahmed.