A case of murder has been registered based on the victim's wife's complaint (Representational photo)

A 25-year-old man was allegedly killed by a group of villagers on suspicion of committing a theft at a temple in Telangana's Nizamabad district, police said on Tuesday.

The man, who worked as a mason, was on Monday thrashed by the group after he was caught allegedly trying to steal from the place of worship, a senior police official told PTI.

The villagers later informed the police who got the man shifted to the government hospital in Nizamabad, where he died.

The victim's wife told TV channels she received a phone call on Monday night saying her husband was caught allegedly trying to commit a theft and beaten up before being shifted to a hospital.

The caller then asked her to visit the hospital.

"I told the caller they could have informed the police about her husband instead of beating him up. When I reached the hospital on Monday morning, I found my husband dead," the wailing woman, holding her two-month-old baby in her arms, said.

Based on a complaint from her, a case of murder has been registered and an investigation to identify the accused was on, the official added.