Priest, 68, found murdered in temple room near Agra; police suspect financial dispute

Agra: A 68-year-old priest, Patiram Kushwaha, was found murdered at a remote temple ashram in Vipravali village in Pinahat area of Agra district, police said on Monday. He was allegedly attacked with a crowbar and a screwdriver, suffering severe head and facial injuries.Kushwaha, a resident of Pinahat town, lived alone at the temple and cultivated nearby land. His wife, Malla Devi, and five children live in the town, and Kushwaha had briefly visited them on Friday. The family said no one had visited the temple on Saturday.Police said Kushwaha's daughter-in-law went to visit him around 3pm on Sunday and found the body on a cot inside his room. A blood-stained crowbar was also found about 30 metres away. She informed police, who reached the spot and sent the body for postmortem.Investigators suspect the murder may be linked to a financial dispute and have detained a seer for questioning. An FIR has been registered under section 103(1) (murder) of the BNS at Pinahat police station, and two teams have been assigned to investigate.DCP Abhishek Agrawal said, "Prima facie, the murder appears to have been committed using the screwdriver and crowbar found at the scene. The accused might be known to the victim. Investigation is ongoing and arrests will follow."