Thursday, April 14 2005 12:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Madurai: As part of a medieval ritual to propitiate the village deities, 28 children were buried in pits for a few minutes in a temple during the recent 'Kuzhimatru' festival in Virudhnagar district.

Police said 28 children in the age group of three to thirteen were made to squat in pits bowing their heads before the deity of the temple at the Mariamman temple in Ayyanapuram on April 11.

The pits were covered with wooden planks and tin sheets and the children were made to sit in the pits for two to three minutes, police said. The children were later taken out alive.

Following the incident, a case has been filed against some unidentified persons for 'burying' the children.

The case was registered following a complaint lodged by the Melarajakularaman Village Administrative Officer, police said.

The burying of children in pits is a 400 year-old ritual, which is conducted during Kuzhimatru (festival of pits).

A similar incident took place last year when devotees were buried in pits for a few minutes at a temple at Kottaipatti in Elayirampannai, police said.