Infant buried on tantrik's advice, survives

Hapur (Uttar Pradesh), April 14 (IANS) A nine-day-old child was buried alive by his parents in Hapur on the advice of an occult practitioner. The incident came to light Saturday when local residents informed the police after noticing the parents going to the burial site to check the progress of the child.

The police said Anita, 34, and her husband Kiran Pal, 37, buried their nine-day-old infant on the advice of a tantrik to get rid of their problems, police said.

'It was Anita's fifth child. Earlier, Anita gave birth to four children but all the kids died either at the time of delivery or just after birth due to poor health or some other complications. This child was born to the couple around nine days back,' a police official said.

'After the birth of this child, the couple approached a tantrik regarding the health of the child and he advised them to put the baby in an earthen pot and bury it alive three feet deep in the ground. The tantrik assured the couple that the child would have good health and long life if they follow his advice. He assured that if they did this, the child would have a long life,' he said.

On his advice, the couple went home and put the baby inside an earthen pot on April 12, and buried it just behind their house, in Adarsh Nagar Colony under Hapur Kotwali police station area.

On Saturday, while the couple was monitoring the condition of the child, some neighbours watched them. They immediately informed the police who arrived at the spot and took out the pot containing the child.

Surprisingly, the baby survived. The kid was rushed to a local hospital where his condition was said to be improving. He was said to be doing fine till Saturday evening.

Superintendent of Police S. Kiran said: 'The baby survived as the lid of the earthen pot remained partially open, allowing the passage of air inside and restricting suffocation from the loose mud put over the pot. We have registered a case of attempt to murder under section 307 of IPC against the husband, wife and the tantrik.'

'All three are culprits. The husband Kiran Pal, wife Anita and the tantrik named Nizaam are absconding,' said the officer.