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Plans to sacrifice a three-year-old girl in Assam went awry after the police stopped a school teacher and his family from beheading her at a sacrificial altar.

The incident took place at Ganpara cillage in Udalgiri district on Saturday. The school teacher's neighbours realised what was going on when they saw smoke emanating from the house and on closer inspection, they saw members of the school teacher's family disrobing and chanting prayers. The teacher was at the sacrificial altar and was trying to cut the child's head off with a sword, reports PTI. 

The child was the three-year-old daughter of the teacher's sister-in-law and she was being sacrificed with the consent of her parents.

When the villagers asked him to stop, the family began chanting with more fervour and the teacher warned that he will attack the neighbours with a machete and axe if they intervene.

The police and media were alerted of the situation and they tried to stop the killing. However, the family members kept them far away by throwing utensils at them.

The police had to open fire to get the situation under control. The teacher and his son were injured in the commotion and are currently in police custody. 

According to reports, the teacher was involved in tantric practices after a girl committed suicide in his house three years ago.