The woman told police she had dreams that evil spirits gripped her and she had to make child sacrifice.
A three-year-old girl was killed allegedly by her aunt in Haryana's Yamunanagar district on Sunday. The police suspect it to be a case of child sacrifice. The woman has been arrested.
The woman, who is married and has two children, allegedly pierced the girl's throat with a knife, police said. The girl bled to death.
"The woman told us that she had dreams that evil spirits had gripped her. She also told us that in her dreams someone told her to make child sacrifice in order to get rid of evil spirits," the police said.
When the girl went to meet her aunt yesterday, she took her to a room, where she had kept earthen lamps to perform some 'puja', police said.
The woman then stabbed the girl who screamed in pain and died on the spot, an officer said.
When the neighbours heard her cries, they rushed to help. The accused tried to escape but they managed to catch hold of her and called the police.
"They took the girl to a hospital where she was declared as brought dead," said Naveen, Station House officer, (Sadar) Jagadhri.
The woman stays in Ambala and had come with her husband and children to visit her family two days ago.
"A murder case has been registered and investigations were underway," Naveen added.