Balasore: A four-year-old boy is now battling for life at a hospital in Nilagiri in Balasore after he was rescued in a critical condition from his house late on Saturday.
It is suspected that it could be a case of alleged human sacrifice as a black cloth was wrapped around the minor boy's neck with injury marks on other parts.
However, the family claimed that the boy was attacked by a local youth, who had entered their house to commit robbery.
Earlier, the minor had went missing from his house at Biswalsahi village in the evening. Though the family members were looking for the kid, they could not trace him for long.
Later, the boy was recovered in an unconscious state from the puja room of the house and was immediately rushed to the hospital.