Bihar: Tensions Erupt In Gopalganj After Temple Staff's Body Found In Mutilated Condition

The man was missing since Monday night. He was last seen leaving the Shiva temple in Danapur village around midnight. He used to work as a caretaker at the temple.

Locals stage protest in Gopalganj. ( Image Source :ANI )

New Delhi: The body of a man reported missing was found in a mutilated condition in Bihar’s Gopalganj on Sunday, news agency PTI reported. His body was recovered last evening, police said. Miffed locals staged violent protests against the police, accusing them of negligence.

According to the news agency, 32-year-old Manoj Kumar was missing since Monday night. He was last seen leaving the Shiva temple in Danapur village around midnight. The deceased used to work as a caretaker at the temple.

After he did not return home, his family lodged a missing complaint on Tuesday, based on which the police launched a search operation to trace Kumar.

“We got information that a man named Manoj Kumar, who worked as caretaker at Shiva temple at Danapur under the Maja Police Station limits, has been missing. Taking cognizance of the matter, we scanned CCTV footage in the locality. Meanwhile, yesterday, it was learnt that his body was found in Danapur, which led to deep anguish among the locals,” ANI quoted Pranjal Kumar, Senior Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Gopalganj, as saying.

#WATCH | Gopalganj, Bihar: On the Gopalganj priest murder case, SDPO Sadar Pranjal says, "A young man, named Manoj Kumar Shah, working as a caretaker at the Shiv Temple in Danapur, was missing. The CCTV footage showed that he locked the temple himself and went somewhere... During… pic.twitter.com/IkRez1BWYc

— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2023

The police officer further said an FIR under relevant sections has been registered and a thorough investigation into the matter is underway.

VIDEO | "The gruesome murder (of priest) has shown that this (Mahagathbandhan) government has failed. This incident should be condemned, and I urge the Bihar government to take strict action in this regard," says Union MoS @nityanandraibjp on murder of priest in Bihar's… pic.twitter.com/W2dW1aK1hQ

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 17, 2023

Meanwhile furious over the death of Kumar, locals staged violent protests at the national highway and pelted stones at the police. They said the man was found dead due to negligence of police, ANI reported.

According to reports, two police personnel were injured and a police vehicle was also set on fire.

“The locals created massive jams on the roads and pelted stones at the police personnel. Some of the rowdy elements have been detained by the police,” ANI quoted the SDPO as saying.