Father 'kills son in ritual sacrifice'

The police in Bangladesh say they have arrested a young Muslim cleric for allegedly killing his own son in a ritual sacrifice during Eid ul-Adha, the biggest Muslim festival.

They say the cleric, Golam Mustafa, admitted to having killed the seven-month-old boy, Sulayman, after receiving what he called a revelation.

Local newspapers in the northern Mymensingh district say residents in the cleric's home village found the boy with his throat cut.

He was apparently killed on Saturday when his mother was busy preparing meal for the festival.

The reports, which came out today after the public holiday, say the relatives claimed that the cleric was under treatment for depression.

Animals are traditionally slaughtered during the Eid, coinciding with the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service