Mau (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 18 (IANS) Blind faith made a parent in Uttar Pradesh's Mau district to keep the dead body of their four-year-old daughter with them in their house, in the hope that their child would bounce back to life.

The four-year-old daughter of Arvind Vanvasi took ill on November 14 and died the next day.

"Vanvasi, who had embraced Christianity six years ago, was told by other members of his family to keep the body in front of the picture of Jesus Christ and the Bible and perform prayers to bring the child back to life. Vanvasi and his family followed the suggestion," said Inspector Vinod Kumar Tiwari.

Some villagers informed the Mau Superintendent of Police, Anurag Arya, who sent the inspector to Vanvasi's residence.

The police managed to convince the family on Sunday and ensured the child's burial.

Vanvasi, who works at a brick kiln as a labourer, told the police that he and some other families in the neighbourhood had converted to Christianity six years ago after being contacted by a Jaunpur-based pastor, who visited the village every Christmas.

--IANS amita/dpb