Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Oct 1: Two elderly priests were allegedly murdered and their bodies set on fire at a temple in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district on Thursday morning, with police investigating allegations that a local man recently released on bail killed them over a dispute concerning control of the temple property.

The victims were identified as Gopal Das, 70, and Bihari Das, 60. Both had been living at the temple in Sootha village under the Khudaganj police station limits.

According to Shahjahanpur Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit, police received information around 7 am that two bodies had been found at the temple. A police team reached the spot and found the bodies of the two priests. A forensic team collected evidence from the scene, while the remains were sent for postmortem examination.

The temple's patron, Shiv Kumar Singh, submitted a complaint alleging that a local man identified as Sumit killed the two priests and set their bodies on fire to destroy evidence. Police have detained Sumit for questioning and are investigating his alleged involvement.

Police said villagers told investigators that Sumit frequently visited the temple and spent time with the two priests. He allegedly wanted the priests to leave the premises so that he could stay there and take control of the temple and its surrounding property. Another report said a plot adjoining the temple was registered in Gopal Das's name.

Reports said Sumit had recently returned from jail after securing bail. Police are questioning him to establish what happened and the exact circumstances leading to the deaths. A murder case has been registered, according to reports, while further investigation is under way.

Police said Gopal Das was originally from a village a few kilometres away. He had left his home after the death of his wife around 22 years ago and subsequently began living at the temple. Bihari Das, a resident of Sootha village, became Gopal Das's disciple around 10 years ago, and the two had been residing at the temple premises.

Some local reports have provided additional accounts of the incident, including allegations that the victims were attacked before their bodies were set on fire. Police have not yet publicly established all details of the sequence of events, and the investigation and forensic examination are expected to clarify how the two priests died.

The incident has triggered a police investigation in Sootha village, with authorities continuing to examine the alleged property dispute and Sumit's role in the deaths.