CHENNAI: Condemning the shocking incident where two night guards were murdered while attempting to prevent a theft at the Nachadai Thavirtharuliya Nathar temple in Virudhunagar district, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Tuesday said the gruesome killings in a temple under the control of the State's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department expose the government's utter failure to maintain law and order. "When even temple hundis are not safe, how can people expect safety for their lives?" he said in a statement.

The BJP leader further alleged that temple-related crimes, from idol vandalism to theft and now murders, have been on the rise since the DMK came to power. "Such incidents point to the government's continued indifference towards temple administration and its deep-rooted anti-Hindu mindset," Nainar said.

The BJP has demanded that the government immediately arrest those responsible for the heinous crime and ensure that no "eye-wash investigation" is conducted by the HR&CE department. "This barbaric act has attacked both religious faith and public security. The culprits who stole temple money at the cost of innocent lives must be brought to justice without delay," added Nainar Nagenthran.