In Chandi Nagar, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, police uncovered the bodies of two missing young men, Ankit and Israr, buried beneath the sacrificial fire pit (havan kund) inside a Ganesha temple. The temple's head priest, Mahant Nareshnath, had reportedly developed a romantic relationship with Ankit's sister, contacting her through social media and inviting her to meet. After Ankit learned of the affair, he warned his sister to stay away from the priest and went with his neighbor and friend Israr to confront Nareshnath at the temple. During an argument, Nareshnath and three of his disciples physically assaulted Ankit and Israr, killing them both. To conceal the crime, the perpetrators dug a deep pit inside the newly constructed havan kund room, buried the bodies with their clothes, watches, and shoes, covered the pit with soil, and re-laid interlocking tiles over it. For nearly 20 days, Nareshnath continued his routine temple duties and sermons while monitoring the crime scene. After the Kanwar Yatra concluded, police tracked the victims' last mobile phone signal and CCTV footage to the temple. One of the disciples subsequently cooperated with law enforcement as an informer and government witness, revealing the exact burial location. At 3:00 AM on August 13, 2026, police excavated the havan kund pit and recovered the remains. Nareshnath fled before police arrived and remains at large, while investigation and manhunt efforts continue.
Country: India
State/Province: Uttar Pradesh, India
City/Region: Baghpat
Incident Type: Murder
Relationship Status: Dating
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Incident Date: July 25, 2026
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2026-07-25
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English labels are shown first. Original-language titles are preserved for source verification.
Crime Tak - India · Original language: Hindi
Ganesh Mandir के हवन कुंड में दफ़न दो मुर्दे, Pujari का Love Affair,टोकने गए Bhai का Murder कर गाड़ा
Family Opposition
The case involves a romantic relationship between a local temple priest and a young woman visitor, which faced opposition from the woman's family. When her brother and his friend intervened to request that the priest cease contacting her, the conflict escalated into fatal physical violence. The offender leveraged his position of authority and assistance from loyal disciples to eliminate the family interference, conceal the crime within the religious structure, and evade initial detection.
Police traced the missing young men using mobile phone location data, which showed their phones were switched off at the temple, and CCTV footage confirming their arrival on a motorcycle with no footage of their exit. Formal action was initially delayed due to police deployment for the Kanwar Yatra. Breakthrough occurred when one of the priest's disciples turned informer and offered to be a government witness, identifying the precise burial spot under the temple's havan kund. Police recovered the bodies during a 3:00 AM excavation on August 13, 2026. Mahant Nareshnath fled prior to the raid and is actively sought by law enforcement.
Initial police reluctance stemmed from fears of creating a local law and order disturbance by excavating a active place of worship during a major religious festival without definitive proof. Bystanders during the 3:00 AM police operation initially believed officers were searching for buried treasure or religious artifacts rather than homicide victims.
After Ankit and Israr arrived at the temple on a motorcycle to tell Nareshnath to stay away from Ankit's sister, Nareshnath felt challenged in his own domain. A heated argument ensued, leading Nareshnath and three disciples to assault and kill both visitors. They then dug up the newly built havan kund pit, placed the bodies inside fully clothed, covered them with dirt, and installed interlocking tiles over the spot to trap odors. Nareshnath maintained routine temple operations for nearly three weeks until law enforcement secured an insider confession and conducted the late-night recovery.
Key risk indicators included persistent harassment and unwanted communications after family objections, high personal ego and social status concerns on the part of the suspect, access to isolated private premises (the temple grounds), and the presence of compliant associates who assisted in violent escalation and post-offense evidence concealment.
Severe personal conflict arising from family attempts to terminate an objectionable romantic liaison can escalate rapidly when confronting an offender on their home turf. Offender overconfidence and institutional authority can obscure hidden homicides for weeks until technical location tracking and insider disclosure breach the concealment.
The primary early signals were the girl's family discovering secret Instagram messages and calls from the priest, followed by the priest's continued unwanted contact despite family warnings.
Critical clues included mobile phone tower data showing the victims' phones were switched off inside the temple, CCTV footage showing them entering on a motorcycle without departing, and an insider disclosure from one of the participating disciples.
Key physical evidence included the victims' clothing, watches, and shoes recovered with the remains from beneath the interlocking tiles of the havan kund, forensic bone/skin samples, motorcycle CCTV records, and mobile location logs.
The primary reported statement came from a temple disciple who turned police informer and government witness, stating: 'Sir, you do not need to search the streets, lanes, and the entire city... go to God's house, and you will find the bodies there. Right there you will find both boys as well.' Nearby residents reported hearing demolition sounds during the 3:00 AM police excavation and initially assuming police were retrieving buried treasure.
Initial missing persons inquiries shifted to a double murder investigation after phone location records and insider informant testimony prompted the police to carry out the 3:00 AM temple excavation on August 13, 2026.
The precise physical cause of death and specific weapons or physical methods used during the assault remain unconfirmed in reporting, and Mahant Nareshnath's exact current whereabouts remain unresolved as police continue manhunt operations.