Inside the bizarre ‘treasure ritual’ that almost cost a toddler his life

In what authorities have described as a chilling example of superstition-driven violence, officials in Bengaluru Rural district, Karnataka, intervened just in time to stop the ritualistic sacrifice of a one-year-old boy. The child was reportedly to be buried alive as part of an attempt to unearth hidden treasure, with preparations underway inside a private residence when officials arrived.

The incident unfolded on Saturday after unidentified informants alerted local officials, prompting the District Child Protection Unit to inspect the house of a man identified as Syed Imran, according to an NDTV report. Inside, investigators found a small pit dug on the premises and objects associated with ritual practices — from incense sticks to floral offerings. Authorities halted the proceedings and shifted the boy to a child care centre while a police investigation continues.

Although rare in mainstream India today, cases of attempted human sacrifice linked to the search for treasure are not unheard of. Similar superstitious practices have been exposed over the years in different parts of the country, ranging from occult rituals to grave acts of violence against children and young adults. For instance, police in Maharashtra once found a 16-year-old girl being subjected to an occult ritual tied to unearthing hidden wealth.

Across India’s northeast, there have been past instances where siblings were detained over alleged attempts to sacrifice children in the name of treasure hunting, though local families sometimes deny such allegations.

Beyond these individual episodes, earlier decades saw tragic outcomes associated with treasure-linked sacrifice, including reports of children killed in superstition-driven rites in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

For now, the Karnataka case is being treated as both a child protection and criminal matter, with police questioning how deep rooted beliefs in hidden fortunes can lead to extreme actions — and how communities can be mobilised to prevent them.