Alert residents foiled a bid to sacrifice a child by treasure hunters in Soodi village of the taluk late on Thursday night.
Basavaraja Gudimani, a resident of Shettar street in Sudi village had brought a gang of 10 men for searching treasure in the backyard of his house. The gang performed pooja and was about to kill a child as a sacrifice. However, the residents in the neighbourhood were alerted by the screams of the child. They thrashed the gang members who took to heels. Villagers said that they alerted the police, who did not turn up.
The 10 men escaped from the spot along with the child while Gudimani stayed at the house. He managed to fill the trenches dug in search of hidden treasure.
Since the police did not turn up even in the morning, the residents brought the matter to the notice of the N Chandraiah, Tahilsdar, Ron, who rushed to the spot. The place was dug up to check whether the child had been buried. However, there were no traces of any human body. Gudimani was later handed over to Gajendragad police, the tahsildar said.