An elderly priest was allegedly stabbed to death by unidentified assailants at an under-construction temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Bangarmau area of Unnao district on Tuesday. The incident triggered tension in the area, with some residents staging a protest, police said.
Victim identified
The deceased was identified as Milan Das (60), a resident of the Ghure Tola locality, police said. According to police, Das had been performing religious duties at the Bodheshwar temple located on the western side of the town for a long time. About six months ago, he began construction of a new temple around 200 meters from his residence and spent most of his time there.
Attack details
According to police, he was present at the temple premises on Tuesday afternoon when unidentified attackers allegedly assaulted him with a sharp-edged weapon and left him critically injured. Locals took him to the Bangarmau community health centre, where doctors declared him dead, police said.
Following the incident, a few locals staged a protest on the Hardoi-Unnao road, police added. Police and forensic teams visited the spot to collect evidence. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, while CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined.
Investigation underway
Virendra, the deceased’s elder brother, told police that the family had no known dispute with anyone. Circle officer Santosh Singh said that multiple teams have been formed to identify and arrest the accused. “All possible angles are being examined and efforts are on to trace the attackers,” he said. Police said the exact reason behind the murder is yet to be known.
