Shimla: Temple Priest Murdered, Body Found Near Temple Premises

Shimla, August 13: In the capital city’s temple, criminals staying with a priest from Maharashtra committed murder and threw the body in the bushes near the temple. The deceased, a 59-year-old priest, had been residing in the temple for over two years. The victim priest has been identified as Sunil Das, a resident of Maharashtra. This incident has caused a sensation in the area. Shimla police have registered a case of murder and started the search for the culprits. This incident took place at the Bhuteshwar Temple located in the Kantti village under the Dhali police station.

According to the police, Sunil Das, a resident of Maharashtra, had been living at the Bhuteshwar Temple since March 2021. On August 8, devotees attempted to contact Sunil Das, but his mobile phone was switched off. The priest was also not found at the Bhuteshwar Temple. Under suspicious circumstances, when he remained untraceable, the devotees began searching for the priest. On Saturday, his body was found about 15 meters away from the temple, in the bushes. The police were informed thereafter. The deceased priest had signs of injuries on his body. The forensic team also conducted an investigation of the scene.

It is speculated that the priest was murdered with blows from sticks. The temple is situated in a remote area with no habitation within a kilometer, and there are no CCTV cameras installed on the temple premises. Shimla’s Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Gandhi, confirmed that the unknown criminals have committed the murder of the priest. In this regard, a case of murder under IPC Section 302 has been registered at the Dhali police station. He mentioned that after the post-mortem examination, the body was handed over to the deceased’s followers. The followers performed the last rites for the deceased’s body.