Delhi Police rescue infant girl sold off by uncle for sacrifice

New Delhi: A four-month-old girl, who was allegedly kidnapped by her uncle from her residence in northeast Delhi's Nehru Vihar locality and sold off to an occultist for ritual human sacrifice, has been rescued, police said today.

The maternal uncle of the infant Asif (22), the occultist (tantrik) Mohammed Illyas (35) and Dilshad (32), have been arrested in connection with the incident, DCP (Northeast) A K Singla said.

According to police, the four-month-old daughter of Imrana and Shan Mohammed went missing from their residence in Nehru Vihar locality on Friday evening, following which they informed the police.

A thorough search was conducted and when the girl could not be traced, the police registered a case of abduction at Khajuri Khas Police Station.

With the help of local intelligence, the police zeroed in on Asif. It later emerged that he had sold the girl to Illyas, who was about to conduct ritual human sacrifice at a cremation ground in Ghaziabad's Loni.

A team was rushed to Ghaziabad and the girl was rescued within 6 hours.

Around Rs 10,000 in cash, part of the token money paid by the occultist to Asif, were recovered along with "sacrificial instruments" from the possession of the accused men, police said.

Illyas, who claims himself to be a follower of 'Sufism', is married and has three children. During interrogation, he told the police that the ritual was for enhancing his powers of witchcraft. He allegedly roped in others to execute the plan, police added.