Hyderabad, March 16: Two pastors were arrested for attacking an accountant at a temple here for suspected chemicals thrown in, resulting in him being injured. The incident occurred on March 14 at the Shri Bhulakshmi Maata Temple in Sadbad, where the 60-year-old victim who was an accountant at the temple was sitting on the reception desk.
An unidentified man approached the accountant wearing a mask and asked about the Temple’s Annadam (food distribution) plan, said Patil Kantilal Subhash, deputy deputy chief of police (southeast region). After a brief conversation, the man asked the accountant to give him an Anadam receipt. Police said the person suddenly fell an unidentified liquid on the accountant’s scalp and fled from “Happy Holi Festival.”
Police said the attack caused burns to the accountant’s scalp, face, eyes and neck, adding that he was taken to the hospital and was being treated. When asked about the composition of chemical substances (liquids), DCP indicates that it is being analyzed. The victim asked authorities to take necessary actions against the unknown attacker, accusing him of trying to kill him. Police said the case of attempted murder was registered based on the complaint. During the investigation, police formed six teams to identify and arrest the abscond, which reviewed nearly 400 CCTV footage and tracked a series of incidents from the offensive scene to the arrest of A-1 (the 31-year-old pastor) at Shaikpet’s residence.
During the interrogation, the pastor admitted to committing a crime under the direction of A-2, who turned out to be the pastor of the temple where the victim served as an accountant, police said. On the motive of the attack, police said the second pastor felt resentful to the accountant, accusing him of taking money from donors rather than issuing receipts at the same price.
Police said the accountant was also accused of “abuse” of children in non-Parliamentary languages playing Holi in temple sites. Police added that the second pastor planned to injure the victims and hired the attackers for Rs 2,000 after paying Rs 1,000 in advance.
