Two children were found dead under suspicious circumstances in the Deoband area of this Uttar Pradesh district, police said Friday.
Their family members claimed the children were killed as part of a Tantric ritual, they added.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sagar Jain said Dev (11) and his 9-year-old cousin Mahi had gone to a temple outside their village in Bhayal on Thursday.
"When they did not return by late night, the family began a search. Around midnight, the children's bodies were found on the roadside, prompting villagers to notify the police," Mr Jain said.
The police, who arrived at the scene with a forensic team, noted that both the bodies showed signs of broken bones, indicating possibility of a road accident.
Their bodies have been sent for a postmortem, Mr Jain said.
However, the incident has stirred anger among the villagers, who blocked the Deoband-Nanota road, alleging that the cousins were killed as part of a Tantric ritual.
Local authorities assured the villagers of a thorough investigation into the incident.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
UP Student Loses Money In Betting, Fakes Abduction For Ransom, Arrested UP Police Constable 2024 Exam Results Announced, Check Details Poll Body Action Against UP Cops For Violating Guidelines During Bypolls Russia's Firing Of ICBM On Ukraine Is Weapon's 1st Combat Use In History 2 More Exit Polls Predict Landslide For NDA In Maharashtra This Asian City Is Emerging As Sex Tourism Hub. It's Not Where You Think Karnataka's Nandini Dairy Brand Enters Delhi NCR With Competitive Pricing Pollution Control Body Orders Filling Critical Gaps In Enforcing Rules "We Should Aspire For World Peace, Lord Buddha Can Inspire Us": Nitin Gadkari Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.