A confrontation, a missing priest and 2 bodies buried at a temple in UP
On July 25, Ankit, a 27-year-old man with a physical disability, traveled to a temple in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, to confront the priest about his alleged romantic involvement with his younger sister. Accompanied by his friend Israr, 36, the two men never returned home. Their families reported them missing on July 29, prompting police to investigate.
Police combed through CCTV footage and phone records but found no evidence of the men leaving the village. They later learned from informers that the priest knew about the missing individuals. A police team arrived at the temple on Wednesday night, but the priest and his 14-year-old son fled. Two of the priest's disciples were apprehended and interrogated.
According to the suspects, Ankit and Israr were lured into the temple under false pretenses. Once inside, they were served tea laced with sedatives, causing them to fall asleep. The priest, aided by his son and disciples, then dug up the ground beneath the tiles and buried the bodies. To avoid suspicion, the priest would light lamps at the spot.
The police await the results of the autopsy to determine the exact cause of death for the victims.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
