Two sadhus, who lived at a temple, were allegedly hacked to death in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahar district, about 450 kilometres from here.

According to the police sources here, the sadhus were stabbed to death while they were sleeping inside the temple premises at Pagauna village in the district late on Monday night. One of the alleged accused, identified as Murari, a resident of the same village, was nabbed by the locals after a chase and was handed over to the police, sources said.

Sources said that the two sadhus had an altercation with Murari over alleged theft of a pair of 'chimta' (tongs used by the sadhus as a musical instrument while reciting religious songs) a couple of days back.

Murari, who had a criminal history and had been released from jail after securing bail in a case of murder a few days back, had threatened the sadhus, identified as Jagan Das and Sevadas, with serious consequences after they accused him of stealing their tongs, sources said.

It was alleged that Murari hacked the two sadhus to death around midnight on Monday.

Sources said that the locals found the bodies of the sadhus lying in a pool of blood on Tuesday morning. They nabbed Murari, who was hiding in the nearby forests, after a chase. They added that Murari was in an inebriated state when apprehended. It was not immediately clear if Murari had an accomplice also.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a probe into the killing, which came close on the heels of the lynching of two sadhus at Palghar in Maharashtra a few days back by a frenzied mob, which took them for child-lifters. The killings triggered a nationwide outrage and the state government had come in for sharp criticism from the saffron outfits and BJP.