A vigilant phone call from an anonymous citizen to the national child helpline on Saturday morning prevented a suspected case of human sacrifice involving an infant on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The timely intervention led to the rescue of an eight-month-old boy from a house in Sulibele, near Hoskote, approximately 50 kilometres from the city centre.
The Anonymous Tip-Off and Swift Action
The district child protection machinery sprang into action after receiving an anonymous call on the 1098 helpline around 10:40 am. The caller warned that a child was about to be sacrificed by its parents in a ritual aimed at discovering hidden treasure, allegedly planned for a full-moon day. Although the address given was vague, the informant shared a mobile number before disconnecting.
District Child Protection Officer Anita Lakshmi stated that her office was immediately alerted by the helpline staff. Tracing the location was a challenge. "The address was not very clear, and even when we called the informer again, he appeared confused. Still, we managed to identify the house mentioned in the call," Lakshmi explained. Acting on this tip-off, officials rushed to a residence in Janata Colony.
Alarming Discovery and Contradictory Statements
What the team found inside the house raised immediate red flags. Officials noticed a freshly dug pit measuring roughly 2.5 feet by 2 feet. When questioned, the couple living there, who worked as vendors in the local market, could not provide a clear or consistent explanation for the pit's purpose.
The officials' primary concern was the child's safety. "When we asked where the infant was, they claimed the baby had been left at a relative's house. That sounded odd. Why would parents leave an eight-month-old elsewhere, especially when both of them were at home?" Lakshmi recounted. After persistent questioning and pressure, the couple contacted a neighbour, who subsequently brought the infant to the house.
Rescue, Investigation, and Legal Action
By this time, Sulibele police had arrived and assisted the child protection team in securing the baby. The infant was immediately shifted to a rehabilitation centre. Officials confirmed the child was in good health and responding well to caregivers. "The infant is fine and adjusting well with our staff. The immediate danger has passed, but the case has to be taken to its logical conclusion," Lakshmi added.
During the preliminary investigation, police made a shocking discovery: the couple were not the biological parents of the child. A senior police officer revealed that the infant had been illegally adopted from daily-wage workers in Kolar. The biological parents are currently untraceable and are suspected to have moved out of the area. "We are making efforts to trace them," the officer stated.
The detained couple have denied planning any human sacrifice. However, police noted their statements about the pit were contradictory. Based on the complaint filed by the district child protection committee and photographic evidence of the pit, police will register the case under the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017, along with relevant sections of child protection laws. The investigation is ongoing.
