knife sharpening
© Athar Hussain / Reuters
The parents of a 12-year-old born with 12 fingers and 12 toes have appealed to police to protect the boy from being sacrificed by his own greedy relatives.

According to Asian news agency ANI, the boy - named Shivanandan, from the village of Gurri in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district - is facing life threats by his very own family because of his "disorder."

His parents were quoted saying their relatives are seeking to end their child's life after a sorcerer told them sacrificing the boy would guarantee them a life full of wealth.


"We have stopped sending him to school. We have sought help from the police also," his father said.

High-ranking state police officer Umashankar Singh said police had received a complaint and that he would personally investigate the matter.

"I will conduct a fair investigation into it & won't let him stay deprived of education. He is financially weak so his educational expenses will be incurred by me till I am posted here," the officer said, according to an API tweet.

The news sparked outcry among the public, with some calling on the alleged sorcerer to be punished.


While one suggested the anomaly is not news, another called for stricter laws to end violence against children.