A YOUNG CHILD has reportedly been beheaded in southern India as part of a ‘human sacrifice’ witchcraft ritual.

The five-year-old was killed after being abducted while on his way home.

Tirumala Rao, 35, is alleged to have seized the child from a nursery in the Prakasam area of Andhra Pradesh in southern India, according to The Indian Express.

Following the killing, locals in the village attacked Rao, doused him in kerosene and set him on fire. He was brought to the local hospital with 40% burns on his body.

The weapon used to killed the child has been recovered by local police, according to the Times of India.

The incident came to light when the child’s mother went to the childcare centre and was told that her son had gone with Rao.

Local police said that the killing had happened as part of a witchcraft-related ritual.

This involved the child’s blood being offered as a sacrifice to the Goddess Kali, who is part of the Hindu religion.

According to The Hindu, the suspect in the case will be questioned by the police once he has recovered sufficiently from his injuries.

Such incidents of witchcraft are thought to be rare occurrences in India, according to the Rationalists Association of India.