Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Two priests were arrested for allegedly attacking a 60-year-old temple accountant at Shri Bhulakshmi Mata Temple in Saidabad by throwing a chemical substance, police said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on March 14 when the victim was sitting at the reception table in the temple. An unidentified masked man approached him, inquired about the temple’s annadanam (food distribution) program, and requested a receipt. As the accountant was writing the receipt, the man suddenly poured a chemical liquid on his scalp and fled, exclaiming "Happy Holi." The attack caused burns to the victim’s scalp, face, eyes, and neck. He was rushed to a hospital and remains under treatment. The composition of the chemical is under analysis.

Police registered an attempt to murder case based on the victim’s complaint. A special investigation involving six teams reviewed over 400 CCTV footages, leading to the identification of a 31-year-old priest, Raikod Hariputhra, who was apprehended at his residence in Shaikpet. During interrogation, he admitted to committing the crime under instructions from another priest, Raja Shekhar Sharma, who also worked at the temple.

The investigation revealed that Sharma bore a grudge against the accountant, accusing him of misappropriating donor funds and using offensive language toward children playing Holi on temple premises. Sharma allegedly hired Hariputhra for Rs 2,000, with Rs 1,000 paid in advance, to harm the accountant. Both priests have been arrested and sent to judicial remand, while police continue their investigation.