Temple priest arrested with .38 bore pistol

Surat, Mar 17 (UNI) A temple priest, hailing from Patna, was arrested here after a country-made pistol and four cartridges were recovered from him, crime branch sleuths said.

Rameshwardas Mudrikasingh (42), a native of Patna district in Bihar, was working as priest in the Hanuman temple at Asthik Nagar Society in Godadara for the last two months. Police got a tip-off that the accused had a countrymade pistol with him, which he hides inside his 'dhoti'.

Police arrested him Thursday evening from the temple premises and recovered the .38 bore pistol that costs around Rs 10,000 and four live cartridges, police said, yesterday.

Rameshwardas, who came here two months back, had convinced the temple authorities that a full time priest is needed for the temple and started living there, police added.

Police is conducting an inquiry into the past activities of the priest.

UNI