MYSURU: Three priests were found murdered in the courtyard of the Arakeshwara temple in Mandya in the wee hours on Friday. Police suspect that a group of miscreants bludgeoned them to death and escaped with the cash in the temple hundi.
The deceased were identified as Prakash (34), Anand (33) and Ganapathi (35). On Friday morning, a villager who noticed the temple door half-opened went inside only to see the bodies of the three priests in a pool of blood with their heads crushed with some strong object.
Upon receiving the information, police rushed to the spot along with the dog squad and forensic team. Police found that the killers had escaped with the cash that was stored in the temple hundi leaving behind the coins.
Police suspect that the priests were killed in their sleep as there is no evidence of resistance from them and found that the temple hundi boxes were thrown outside the temple premises.
A case has been registered at Mandya East police station and a special team has been formed to probe the case and nab the murderers.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa condoled the murder of the priests and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the family members of the priests.