Some people even burnt tyres and furniture in the middle of the road

KANPUR: Kudarkot town under the limits of Bidhoona police station in Auraiya district on Wednesday remained tense after people staged road blockade and resorted to heavy stone pelting and arson following the murder of two priests of Bhayanak Nath temple on late Tuesday night. Police had been forced to resort to lathicharge and tear gas to pacify the locals who were protesting the murders.

A case has been lodged against unidentified assailants involved in the gory crime. However, no arrest has been made so far.

On late Tuesday night, unidentified miscreants barged inside the Bhayanak Nath temple located in Kudarkot town under the limits of Bidhoona police station of the district and attacked temple priests -Lajja Ram (65) Halke Ram (50) and Ram Sharan (55) with sharp edged weapons leaving them critically wounded. The incident, however, came to light after locals reached temple to offer prayers early on Wednesday morning, said Bidhoona police station house officer. The injured priests were immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors pronounced Lajja Ram and Halke Ram dead on arrival, while Ram Sharan has been admitted to Saifai Medical university in Etawah .

According to him, the priests were fast asleep in the verandah of the temple, when the incident occurred. “The miscreants had attacked them on their neck and other vital body parts with sharp edged weapons. The incident came to light when locals, who had gone for offering `puja' discovered them lying in a pool of blood on Wednesday morning. Lajja Ram and Halke Ram were declared dead while Ram Sharan was undergoing treatment at Saifai Medical university in Etawah.

The motive behind the gruesome killings is yet to be ascertained. "However, we are working on every possible angle to solve double murder," said a senior police official.

Later, angry over the deaths, a mob staged a massive road blockade and forced closure of shops in the area market. They demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators of the crime, besides tough action against the local police, who, they claimed, failed in their duty.

Some people even burnt tyres and furniture in the middle of the road. As police tried to remove the blockade, the protesters turned violent and started pelting stones on them. Additional force later rushed to the spot and lathicharged to disperse the angry mob. IG (Zone) Alok Singh meanwhile along with heavy police force reached the spot and took note of the situation.

"Situation is tense, but under control. Heavy deployment of police and PAC personnel have been made to ease out tension in the area. An FIR has been lodged. Investigations are underway and separate police teams have been formed to crack the case at the earliest," said Singh further.

