Unidentified individuals stabbed two monks to death and injured another in a temple in Bidhuna area of Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district on Wednesday, triggering mob violence. Enraged at the murders, a mob set shops ablaze and pelted stones, leading to heavy police presence in the area, PTI reported. Police personnel also fired in the air to bring the situation under control.

“The incident took place around 3 am, when three Hindu monks were attacked by unidentified men,” Additional Superintendent of Police (Auraiya) Rajesh Kumar Saxena said. Though the exact motive for the crime is not yet known, the police suspect the monks were killed because they were opposed to cow slaughter.

The deceased were identified as Lajja Ram, 65, and Halke Ram, 53, residents of Bakewar in Etawah city. Another monk, Ramsharan, 56, was seriously wounded. “They were tied to a charpoy and attacked,” Bidhuna Circle Officer Bhaskar Verma said. Another police officer said the three were found lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds.

The three were rushed to the district hospital, where Lajja Ram and Halke Ram were declared dead on arrival. Ramsharan has been shifted to Saifai hospital in a critical condition.

“People were generally complaining that the area where the murders took place was witnessing cases of cow slaughter and the victims were opposing it,” Inspector General of Police (Kanpur range) Alok Singh said. “That could be a possible motive behind the attack.”

Around a dozen police teams of senior officers have been formed to investigate the murders, PTI reported. Singh said that Auraiya Station House Officer Akhilesh Mishra has been suspended for negligence.