The two sadhus were killed inside a temple at a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr. (Photo:AajTak)

In a grim reminder of the Palghar mob lynching incident, two sadhus (priests) were killed at Anupshahar area of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh on Monday night.

Police have arrested a man in connection with the killings. The accused killed the two sadhus following an altercation over stealing their ‘chimta’ (tongs) a few days back, police said.

The incident came to light after mutilated bodies of 55-year-old Sadhu Jagandas and 35-year-old Sadhu Sevadas, who lived in a temple at Pagona village in Anupshahar were discovered by villagers on Tuesday morning when they arrived at the temple to pay obeisance.

Several villagers soon gathered after the bodies of two priests were found inside the temple on Tuesday. They later also managed to catch the accused after which he was taken into custody.

According to police, the man killed the two sadhus over an altercation he had with the sadhus a few days back after he took away their ‘chimta’ (tongs).

“Preliminary investigation has found that a few days ago, the accused snatched tongs from sadhus, after which they scolded him. Angered by this, the accused killed them both,” Bulandshahr SSP Santosh Kumar Singh said.

According to police, the sadhus were murdered using a sharp weapon. The SSP added that the matter is under investigation.

The murder of sadhus in Uttar Pradesh comes after three persons, including two sadhus, were lynched in Palghar, Maharashtra while they were on their way to a funeral in neighbouring Silvassa.

The incident took place on the night of April 16 when three men were going from Mumbai in a car towards Surat in Gujarat to attend the funeral. Their vehicle was stopped near a village in Palghar district where the three were dragged out of the car and beaten to death with sticks by a mob on suspicion that they were child-lifters.

The deceased were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35), and driver Nilesh Telgade(30).