I mean, other than the explanation that THEY'RE JUST EVIL.
600k for three dead. 11,000,000 for being kicked off a train. Something wrong with this story.
I don't necessarily see a direct person-to-person hypnotic element in the recent cases; HOWEVER, anyone that subjects themselves (or is subjected by doctors or well-meaning psych people through meds and such) runs the risk of unintended consequences.
In a worst case scenario under my belief system, it can be opening the door to, I will put it this way, unknown evil entities.
Having said that, there would be few people who never took any legal prescription that could alter one's mine, also anaesthesia, probably other examples if I thought hard enough.
What I'm saying is the good outweighs the possible negative effects sometimes, and I regard anaesthesia as a godsend and would never expect anyone to refuse it. Just an example.