india

Updated: Apr 28, 2020 14:20 IST

Two sadhus were killed in Pagona village in Anoopshahar area of Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district on Monday night.

The police have arrested a youth in connection with the case. According to police, the youth had altercation with sadhus over stealing their ‘chimta’ (tongs).

“The youth Raju had altercation with sadhu two days ago who charged him of stealing their chimta. He has been arrested from a neighbouring village and has confessed to his crime,” said Santosh Singh, SSP, Bulandshahr.

Watch: 2 sadhus murdered in Bulandshahr; Priyanka Gandhi calls for fair probe

“The arrested man was under influence of some toxic substance therefore further interrogation would be conducted soon after he resumes his senses,” Singh added.

The priests were attacked with a sharp-edged object. Their bodies were found by the villages inside the local temple

They have been identified as Jagdish or Rangidas (55) and his disciple Sher Singh (46). Police have been deployed in the area around the temple, Live Hindustan reported.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed senior officials to visit the village and send him a detail report on the incident.

The incident comes more than a week after two sadhus and their driver were lynched by a huge mob outside Gadhchinchale village, 110 kilometre from Palghar in Maharashtra. They were attacked on the suspicion of being child-lifters.

The incident in Palghar took place on April 16.

It later emerged that the sadhus - 70-year-old Swami Kalpvriksha Giri and 35-year-old Sushil Giri - belonged to Varanasi-based Juna Akhara and were on their way to Gujarat to attend the last rite of their guru Mahant Shri Ram Giri.

Asserting that nobody involved in the Palghar mob lynching incident would be spared, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a high-level probe by Criminal Investigation Department (CID).