Sullia: Making child sacrifices for the sake of money or health or precious stones is an old habit although the history of India in various areas, just because hidden treasures are supports to be located around forsaken areas or temples or palaces.

Such a story is taking place in the forest of Sullia taluk deep inside Balugodu, Kollamogra and Nadugallu. The stretch of precious stones on or under the forest surface near temples or lakes connected with them is spread out from Sullia taluk to Somavarapete taluk of Kodagu.

Blue,green and red stones which come under Navarathna group have been discovered since 25 years now and were easily collected by local villagers and soled to Rajasthan merchants who deal in such stones and who come to forest area in Sullia to by them from the stone collectors.

However in the last few years the stone supply on the top surface of the forest mines where easily available without search had given place to stones under the surface which had to be mined by some axe or other instruments to clear the place and dig it.

Above 4 months ago a child aged about 1 year and named Sharika, was reported to have been sacrificed to the deities of the temple near these mines of precious stones and her body was thrown into a small lake nearby were temple existed along with the lake. The parents of the sacrificed child living in the area and  elderly man who were looking after the child did not know who kidnapped the child or who scarified it to a goddess of the temple in the forest. This temple is in a broken condition while the lake as shrunk to a small size.

The child was taken away when it came out of the house and walk 100 meters towards the lake its body and other parts of the body were in decomposed condition according to doctors who examined Sharike after her death. The secret behind the child’s sacrifice by some unknown persons to obtain treasure hidden in the temple has not been found out. But as the story goes the police are investigating into the death of Sharika and the secret hidden in the historic Durga Parameshwari temple were, it is said, lots of treasure and precious stones were still available in the ramparts of the temple.