JAIPUR: A 93-year-old priest was murdered at Bhuriya Mahadev Baba Dham in Diggi town in Rajasthan's Tonk district on Tuesday night.
The incident came to light on Wednesday morning when worshippers discovered the body of Mahant Siyaram Das Maharaj at the temple around 8 am.
Das Maharaj, a resident of Karauli district, had served at the temple for around 50 years.
He was living alone within the temple premises.
After the incident, local residents initiated a sit-in protest outside the temple, demanding the arrest of the unidentified miscreants.
Police have formed a team to apprehend the culprits.
A dog squad was called in by the police to assist in the investigation.
The Forensic Science Laboratory team collected evidence from the crime scene.
While talking to media, SP Rajarshi Raj Verma confirmed the incident as a murder and stated that efforts are on to arrest the killers.
BJP state vice-president and Tonk MP Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria criticized the government's role in the incident, urging authorities to prioritize public safety over political campaigns.