A priest allegedly murdered his daughter to appease his goddess at Madlehalli in Tiptur taluk of Tumkur district recently.
Narayanappa, a priest at the Chowdeshwari Temple at Dasarighatta, took his daughter, Ambika (12), to Tiptur on the last new moon day (June 29) on the pretext of buying her textbooks.But the next day, he returned home without her.His wife, Gowramma, who suspected foul play, lodged a police complaint about the missing girl after a week.
Police found the body of Ambika at Galibande hillock about one km away from Madlehalli on Wednesday. Her head was tonsured.There were signs of sacrificial rites at the spot. Her plaited hair was also found at a distance.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police, L. Shivashankar, visited the spot. The priest is reported to be absconding.