The Varkala police arrested a temple priest for the alleged murder of another over a suspected mobile phone theft on Saturday.
The police identified the accused as Arun, 36, of Kannamba in Varkala, who served as a priest in a local temple. He has been accused of murdering his friend Narayanan, 55, of Varkala following an altercation that occurred late Friday.
Arun allegedly barged into Narayanan’s house and accused him of stealing his mobile phone in an inebriated state. Despite Narayanan denying having any role in the suspected theft, Arun vandalised the house and damaged some ‘pooja’ materials that were kept there. He went on to manhandle Narayanan before pushing him from the terrace of his house into a canal. Narayanan, who sustained critical injuries after his head hit a rock, was declared dead despite being rushed to a hospital.
Narayanan’s wife Susheela, who was also attacked by Arun, is under treatment at the Varkala taluk hospital.
