CHENNAI: A six-year-old boy was found dead under mysterious circumstances while staying at his grandmother's house in Melpatti near Pernambut in Vellore district.
The incident has sent shockwaves in the neighbourhood after the boy's relatives alleged human sacrifice and demanded a thorough investigation into the death, according to a Daily Thanthi report.
According to the report, the boy had been staying at his grandmother's residence in Melpatti when he died suddenly.
Family members reportedly noticed injuries on his body and grew suspicious about the circumstances surrounding his death. The boy's parents subsequently lodged a complaint with the police, alleging that he may have been murdered.
Some relatives also raised suspicions of human sacrifice and urged authorities to investigate all possible angles.
After receiving information about the incident, Melpatti police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. It was later sent to a government hospital for postmortem examination to ascertain the cause of death.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.
As part of the investigation, police have detained a suspect for questioning, the report said.
Officials stated that it would be premature to draw conclusions about the cause of death. They added that whether the boy was a victim of foul play or if there was another reason behind the death would be known only after the completion of the investigation and receipt of the postmortem examination report.