Guwahati, Oct 24 (IANS): A man killed his 13-year-old son in Assam in what is being termed a case of human sacrifice. Police said Thursday the man attempted to kill his wife and daughter also but they escaped with injuries.

The crime occurred at Guijan village in Assam's Tinsukia district Wednesday. Police said the accused, Parasuram Koiri, has been arrested.

"The wife and daughter of the accused also faced a similar bid on their lives but they escaped with severe injuries," Tinsukia district Superintendent of Police P.P. Singh said.

"The accused has confessed to his crime. He sees himself as a devotee of goddess Durga and said that she appeared recently in a dream and demanded human sacrifice," police said.

"The incident occurred yesterday morning (Wednesday) when Koiri offered prayers at the temple of the goddess outside his house and tried to kill his wife Lakhi Koiri, 38, son Biru, 13, and daughter Shibani, 10, while they were sleeping," police said.

The police officer said while Biru died on the spot his mother and sister sustained serious injuries.

"The mother and daughter were shifted to Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh," police said.

People residing in the neighbourhood said the man had suffered from a mental ailment for long, and may have conducted the sacrifice due to superstition.