Mumbai temple priest injured in knife attack, two booked

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A temple priest was reportedly attacked with a knife on the premises of a temple in Malad area of Mumbai allegedly by a youth who was sacked as a caretaker of temple cows some months ago, the police said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.

According to the PTI, an FIR for an attempt to murder was registered against the attacker who was later identified as Suryanarayan Das, the police said.

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The police booked the suspect following the incident which took place on Tuesday, and an unidentified person whose exact role in the crime is under investigation, an official said, as per the PTI.

The temple priest, Mahant Madhavdasji Rambalakdas Mahatyagi, 67, was performing a daily ritual at the temple when Das stabbed his shoulder with a knife, the official said, adding that Das was captured on CCTV cameras while fleeing from the crime scene.

Mahant Madhavdasji Rambalakdas Mahatyagi was rushed to a hospital by temple servitors and others later.

Das was hired six months ago to milk cows at the temple. He was sacked from service for his alleged involvement in illegal activities, police said, the news agency reported on Wednesday.

Five held while attempting to sell silver, idols stolen from Daman

The Thane Police in Maharashtra have arrested five persons while trying to sell silver and idols stolen from a shop in Daman, in the union territory of Daman and Diu, in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.

The gang recently broke into a shop in Daman, about 200 km from Mumbai, and took away 3 kg of silver, idols and some valuables from there, said senior inspector Yogesh Awhad from the Crime Uni-II in Bhiwandi, according to a PTI report.

The Thane Police received a tip off regarding the matter on Tuesday about some people coming to Bhiwandi in Thane district to sell the stolen silver and other goods. The cops laid a trap and arrested the five accused, he said.

Citing their investigation, the official said that the five suspects have also allegedly committed many other crimes in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

(with PTI inputs)