School teacher tries to sacrifice child, locals stop the ritual

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In a shocking incident, a school teacher and his family allegedly tried to sacrifice a three-year-old in their house in Assam on Saturday, but their plans were hindered when the locals intervened and informed the media and police. The situation turned violent when people of the village in the district informed the police and the media after noticing smoke emanating from the teacher's house.

The police said the locals complained that on reaching the teacher's house, they saw the family, including women, disrobing themselves while chanting prayers after placing the girl on a sacrificial altar. A priest armed with a long sword was trying to sever the child's head, according to the locals. The villagers claimed that they asked the family to spare the child, but the members continued with their chanting and the priest threatened to attack the locals with a machete.

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When the police and media personnel tried to intervene, the family members started hurling utensil and stones at them and even set fire to their motorcycle, television set, car, and fridge. The police then were forced to fire five rounds of bullets in the air to bring the situation under control and rescued the child. The teacher and his son were injured in the firing, police said.

According to the eyewitnesses, the child was the daughter of the teacher's sister-in-law and her father had given away the girl to be sacrificed in the presence of her mother. The police have detained the priest and some of the family members. The investigation is underway.

With inputs from PTI

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