Indian police in Haveri, Karnataka have banned the ritual of lowering infants into wells.

Footage captured on June 13 shows one baby being lowered into a deep well at a place of worship named a "dargah."

The dargah official who is lowering the infant into the well on the cradle, speaking in Urdu, tells the parents to "get a good glimpse of the baby inside the well before pulling it up."

Local residents believe that the ritual makes babies stronger and protects them from evil in the future, while others believe it to be "superstitious."

Upon this footage being circulated by local media local law enforcement banned the ritual and implemented security measures to prevent the ritual from continuing.

Dargahs are used in the Islam world to worship saints and to pay respect to deceased individuals.

A local reporter explained that dargahs "usually draw followers from all religious communities, not just Muslims."

Indian police moved quickly to stop a horrific ritual of lowering babies into a deep well at a ‘dargah’, a Muslim place of worship.

The superstitious practice at a dargah in Bankapura near Haveri town in southern India came to light after it was most recently held on June 13.

The video shows a dargah official lowering a cradle with a baby into the well. Speaking in Urdu, he asks the parents to get a good glimpse of the baby inside the well before pulling it up.

Local residents believe that the ritual makes babies stronger and protects them from evil in their future life.

As soon as the local media published the video, the district police banned the ritual and filed cases against the head of the dargah and parents.

They also put a fence around the well to stop anyone from observing the ritual and putting their babies in danger.

A dargah is a Muslim religious place where local saints are buried and worshipped. They usually draw followers from all religious communities, not just Muslims.

(Clients are advised to conceal the baby's face, which is a requirement under the Indian laws.)