The bodies of the priests, identified as Ganesh, Prakash and Anand, were found in a pool of blood with their heads crushed with stones. Villagers saw the bodies after finding the temple door open.
The defendant took only bills and left the coins.
The three deceased were cousins and served as temple priests. All three used to sleep on the premises for the safety of the temple and their property, police said.
The temples are sinking the department of Muzrai and this temple in Guttalu was classified as a Group ‘B’ temple. IGP (Southern Range) Vipul Kumar rushed out of Mysuru and visited the crime scene.
The police found no signs of resistance from the deceased.
The three are suspected of being killed in their sleep as there was no indication of any resistance. Police suspect that more than three attackers may be involved in the killings. Police suspect that robbery could be the motive for these murders, as all three hundred were moved outside the temple premises and offerings, mainly cash, were looted.
The empty kanike hundis (money collection boxes) were found outside the temple. The killers had managed to escape with the cash in all three sank boxes that leave only coins of various denominations, which are spilled near the hundis.
The bodies were seen by the villagers after the temple doors were opened.
Police said that before escaping, the criminals also ransacked the temple’s sanctum sanctorum for more valuables and cash.
Mandya police are receiving help from sniffer dogs to track down the culprits and forensic experts have begun gathering evidence from the crime scene. Mandya SP Parashuram He said special teams will be formed to track down the culprits. A case has been registered at the Mandya East Police Station.
ಹತ್ಯೆಗೊಳಗಾದ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನದ ಪೂಜಾರಿಗಳ ಕುಟುಂಬಕ್ಕೆ ತಲಾ 5.00 ಲಕ್ಷ ರೂ. ಪರಿಹಾರ ನೀಡಲಾಗುವುದು. ತಪ್ಪಿತಸ್ಥರ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಕೂಡಲೇ ಸೂಕ್ತ ಕಾನೂ… https://t.co/eK008P8BCn
– CM from Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) 1599802227000
Karnataka Prime Minister BS Yediyurappa has announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the three deceased.
(With input from KR Rajendra Kumar)
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