Unidentified miscreants shot at a priest of the famous Ram Janki temple in Gonda district late Saturday night when he was sleeping inside the temple premises.
The priest, identified as Samrat Das alias Chhote Baba, is junior to the head priest of the temple, Mahant Sitaram Das, and was shot at from close range, He suffered injuries on his shoulder.
He was rushed to the district hospital from where he was referred to the KGMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow in view of his serious condition.
Police suspect the priest was attacked over a dispute involving the temple’s land which is said to be of several acres and costing several crore rupees. The temple is situated in the Ityathok police station area.
The doctors attending on the priest at the Trauma Centre said his condition was improving and he was out of danger.
The Mahant Sitaram Das alleged that the local village pradhan and others were involved in the attack.
He said that land mafia were trying to grab 100 acres of land of the temple. The temple is controlled by the Tapsvi Chhavni Math of Ayodhya.
Recently, a brawl had taken place over the grabbing of the temple’s land.
Two home guards were deployed for the security of the temple, but they could not prevent the attack.
The attackers scaled the boundary wall of the temple and reached the place where the priest was resting and escaped after attacking him.
The gunshot woke up the other staff of the temple and later the priest was rushed to the district hospital.
After the attack, more security personnel have been deployed in the temple.
Superintendent of Police Shailendra Singh said the attack took place around 3 am and a case was registered against four miscreants.
He said investigation was underway and very soon the culprits would be nabbed.
Police sources said two persons had been detained in connection with the attack and they were being interrogated.
Teams have been formed to arrest the accused.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MLC Sunil Singh Sajan slammed the government for failing to control crime in the state.
“Now priests and mahants are also not safe in the state,” he said.