Delhi: Priest, wife kill her paramour at temple, set body ablaze

New Delhi: A priest and his wife were arrested for allegedly killing her paramour at a temple here, the police said on Thursday. 

The couple set the body ablaze in the temple storeroom after which the husband, Lakhan, called the police and claimed that a man was trapped inside.

After the police reached the temple in Gandhi Nagar area of Shahdara, they found the charred body of Chandra Shekhar (35).

However, suspicion mounted after it was found that the body was already decomposing and a foul smell was emanating from it, said a senior police officer. There were no signs of forced entry into the room.

The police started questioning the 30-year-old priest, who tried to mislead them but later confessed to the killing.

He told police that his wife had an extra-marital affair with Shekhar at his parents' house in Mathura district.

After Lakhan discovered the affair, his wife not only promised to break up with Shekhar but also help kill her paramour, said the officer.

Three days back, she called Shekhar and told him that her husband had discovered their affair and asked him to come to Delhi.

When he arrived on Sunday, the couple took him to the temple's storeroom, gave him sleeping pills, hit him multiple times on the head and strangulated him, said the officer.

Lakhan's wife, aged 30, was also arrested, said the officer.