A confrontation, a missing priest and 2 bodies buried at a temple in UP

Police said the temple premises were searched several times, but to no avail. Later, informers were engaged to try getting information from those at the temple. (File photo) On July 25, Ankit (27) went to the temple in his village in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat to confront the priest who was allegedly in a relationship with his sister. Ankit was accompanied by his friend, Israr (36). Two weeks later, police recovered their decomposing bodies from the temple premises — they were allegedly given lethal injections and buried beneath the tiles.Police said the priest is the main accused behind the killing. He and his minor son are on the run, Rakesh Kumar Pundir, Station House Officer of Chandi Nagar police station, told The Indian Express. Police have arrested two of his disciples in connection with the case, who allegedly revealed details of the killings during questioning. The confrontation Ankit, 27, was physically challenged. According to the SHO, he had been unable to move his lower body since birth. Israr, his close friend, used to take wherever he wanted to go on his motorcycle. On July 25, the two went to the temple to confront the priest for not breaking off his alleged relationship with Ankit’s younger sister despite several warnings. Both never returned home. Their family members repeatedly asked the priest if he knew about the duo, but he denied having any information about them. They lodged a missing person’s complaint on July 29, the SHO said. Trail led to the templeStory continues below this ad Pundir said police checked CCTV footage in the area several times and scanned call detail records of Ankit and Israr. However, footage did not show either of them leaving the village, while their last mobile phone locations remained at the temple. Police said the temple premises were searched several times, but to no avail. Later, informers were engaged to try getting information from those at the temple. The SHO said the effort bore fruit, as police learnt that the priest knew about the missing men. A police team reached the temple on Wednesday night, but the priest and his 14-year-old son escaped. Two of his disciples were found there and questioned at length. Police said they alleged that the priest killed the two men and buried them beneath the interlocking tiles on the premises. They took the police to the spot, where a team dug up the area and found the bodies several feet underground. The night of the killingsStory continues below this ad Police said the two disciples admitted to how the alleged killing unfolded. They claimed Ankit was very angry with the priest, warning him to mend his ways or face the music. Police said the accused took Ankit and Israr inside the temple room on the pretext of pacifying them, but allegedly offered them tea laced with sedative tablets. The SHO said Ankit and Israr fell asleep after about an hour, following which the priest allegedly injected them with some medicine. He then dug up the ground beneath the tiles with the help of his son and the disciples. The bodies were buried there and the tiles were fixed again.Story continues below this ad The priest used to light lamps at the spot to avoid suspicion, the SHO added. Pundir said police were waiting for the autopsy reports to ascertain the exact cause of death of the victims. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution. Authoritativeness He leads a team of