Bengaluru: A timely phone call from an alert citizen to the child helpline (1098) on Saturday morning thwarted what officials suspect was an attempt at child sacrifice in Sulibele, near Hoskote, about 50 km from Bengaluru.
Acting on the tip-off, officials rescued an eight-month-old boy from a house in Janata Colony and later filed a complaint with Sulibele police, who detained the couple claiming to be the child’s parents for questioning.
Police said the district child protection machinery swung into action after receiving an anonymous call around 10.40 am. The caller warned that an infant was about to be sacrificed by its parents as part of a ritual to unearth hidden treasure, allegedly planned for a full-moon day. Although the address shared was unclear, the caller provided his mobile number before disconnecting.
District child protection officer Anita Lakshmi said the child helpline staff immediately alerted her office. “The address was not very clear, and even when we called the informer again, he seemed confused. Still, we managed to identify the house mentioned in the call,” she said.
What officials found inside raised immediate concern. A freshly dug pit, measuring roughly 2.5 feet by 2 feet, was discovered in the house. When questioned, the vendor couple failed to give a consistent explanation for the pit. “Our priority was the child. When we asked where the infant was, they said he had been left at a relative’s house. That seemed odd, as both parents were at home,” Lakshmi said.
After repeated questioning, the couple contacted a neighbour, who brought the infant to the house. By then, Sulibele police had reached the spot and assisted the child protection team in securing the baby.
The child was immediately shifted to a rehabilitation centre. Officials said the infant was in good health and responding well to caregivers. “The immediate danger has passed, but the case must be taken to its logical conclusion,” Lakshmi said.
During the preliminary investigation, police found that the couple were not the biological parents of the child. A senior officer said the infant had been illegally adopted from daily-wage workers in Kolar. The biological parents are currently untraceable and are believed to have moved out of the area.
While the couple have denied planning any human sacrifice, police said their statements regarding the pit were contradictory. Based on the complaint filed by the district child protection committee and photographic evidence, police said a case would be registered under the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017, along with relevant child protection laws. The investigation is ongoing.
