A 54-year-old fake priest is in police custody on charges of attempting to sacrifice a toddler in a quest to find treasure hidden in his house.
The child’s grandmother alerted the neighbours who rescued him from the house where the man was conducting some strange rituals. The drama unfolded in KS Layout, Chandranagar, around 10.30 am on Thursday as Rajamma was standing outside her house, holding her grandson Vinay, 2, in her arms. Suddenly, her neighbour Sumathindra Rao alias Sumathindra Nadiger came there and forcibly took the child from her, saying he wanted to sacrifice him to find some hidden treasure in his house.
As he brought the child into his house and bolted the door from inside, Rajamma cried for help. Neighbours came to her help and forced their way into Rao’s house.
“He was getting ready to do some pooja as he had tied a red cloth around my little nephew’s neck. He wanted to strangle him,” said Srinivas, the child’s uncle.
However, he said he did not find any lethal weapon like a machete, which is normally used in human sacrifice.
Vinay is son of Vishwa, a taxi driver, and Nagarathna. KS Layout police have registered a case of attempt to murder under section 307 of IPC and arrested Rao.
“We will produce him before the court,” an investigative police officer said.
Rao, who hails from Channagiri near Shimoga, had separated from his wife and two children long ago. Four years ago, he married Jayalakshmi, a native of Tiptur, and the couple shifted to Chandranagar.
Jayalakshmi, a sweeper, told police that she was at work in an office when the incident happened.
“The whole night, my husband went on talking about his first wife and children. He did not allow me to sleep,” she told the police.
