5 held for murders of 3 Karnataka temple priests

Mandya (Karnataka), Sep 14 Five suspected burglars have been arrested for the murders of three priests at a village temple in Karnataka's Mandya district during a robbery, police said on Monday.

"Three accused were arrested after police shot at and injured them in self-defence when they attacked our men at Sodolalu village in Maddur taluk of the district earlier in the day, while trying to escape from a bus stop," Mandya Inspector BS Shivanna told on phone.

Mandya is about 100 km southwest of Bengaluru, en route Mysuru.

"Accused Manju, Vijay, and Chandru were rushed to a state-run hospital at Mandya for treatment of bullet injuries in their legs," said Shivanna.

A Sub-Inspector and two Constables were also injured in the operation and are under treatment.

The three were traced after their accomplices Abhijit and Raghu were arrested on Sunday evening at Guttalu village, where the three priests of Sri Arkeshwara Swamy temple were murdered on the September 10-11 night and cash from donation boxes looted.

Victims Ganesh, Prakash, and Anand were in their mid-30s. The temple belongs to the state muzrai (endowments) department.

The state government has since paid Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families.

( With inputs from IANS )